The tradition of outgoing presidents leaving their successors a letter in the Oval Office desk started back in 1989 when Ronald Reagan left George H.W. Bush a note telling him, among other things, "don't let the turkeys get you down."
We rarely get to hear the contents of those letters in full, but it's been said they usually contain gracious words and helpful advice for the incoming administration.
And it turns out that Donald Trump's letter to Joe Biden, written as Trump departed the White House on January 20, 2021, was no exception. Biden said at the time that the letter was "very generous," but kept the rest to himself because it was a private communication between the two men.
Now, nearly six years later, we're finally getting a closer look at what Trump wrote, thanks to Biden's upcoming memoir, Promise Me, America, which is scheduled to be released on November 17. And considering the bitter political rivalry between the two men, Trump's words were incredibly gracious.
According to the Associated Press, which reviewed a copy of the two-page handwritten letter, Trump addressed the note to "46," a reference to Biden becoming the nation's 46th president.
Trump apparently wrote his note with a Sharpie pen on White House stationery and expressed his confidence that Biden would remain true to himself and the American people.
He also offered his thoughts on the opportunity Biden had to make history, writing that plenty of presidents had occupied the Oval Office without leaving of a lasting mark. "This will not happen to you because I know how much you love the American people," Trump wrote his successor.
The New York Times obtains letter President Trump wrote to President Biden in 2021 Trump: “I Know How Much You Love the American People.” Link to article: https://t.co/XsmBo5osZY https://t.co/zQIVDe8hD4
— Politics & Poll Tracker 📡 (@PollTracker2024) November 10, 2026
Biden was apparently surprised by the warm sentiments of the letter. He even showed it to several staff members after his inauguration, although he wouldn't allow them to read it.
Trump told NBC's "Meet the Press" back in 2023 that he had put considerable thought into what he wanted to say in his note.
"I took a lot of time in thinking about it," Trump said, describing the message as "a nice note."
Despite apparently appreciating the kind words from his predecessor, Biden doesn't appear particularly interested in returning the favor, at least not in other parts of his memoir. Biden reportedly takes aim at Trump for what he considers damage done to American institutions and the dismantling of his administration's policies.
"What Trump did on January 6, 2021, should never be forgotten," Biden is reported to have written. "It should follow him to his grave."
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