No one is happy about Joe Biden’s Oval Office meeting with Donald Trump, including—from the looks of it—Donald Trump himself. More so, many of Biden’s supporters aren’t overly enthusiastic about his decision to play nice with the president-elect in lieu of their longstanding beef.
President Joe Biden is extending an olive branch on the heels of Election Day and, unlike his predecessor, is gracefully taking the “L” as America gears up for a second Trump presidency—for better or worse. Probably worse. Regardless of how things pan out longterm, however, some the more outspoken Democrats out there aren’t too pleased about Biden’s recent get-together with Trump, and are taking to X (Twitter) to scold him like a bunch of angry parents at a local P.T.A. meeting. Why? Because for two sworn enemies, Biden and Trump sure looked…chummy. Well, even if it all seemed a bit one-sided.
Biden and Trump shoot the breeze during Oval Office meeting
To ensure a smooth transfer of power, Biden invited Trump to the White House on Wednesday afternoon for a historic meeting between current and future president, which involved a whole lot of toothy grins, photo-ops, and not-so-metaphorical hand-holding.
Meanwhile, Melania Trump wasn’t feeling quite as social, as she reportedly denied Dr. Jill Biden’s invitation to tea. First Lady feud? Really, the whole thing was a big spectacle to assure American voters that everybody is, like, totally 100% happy with the outcome of the election, or, more likely, it’s just a stint to make Biden look like the better man. Now, some social media users are calling Biden out on his hypocrisy, expressing disappointment with his decision to act friendly around Trump, a.k.a. a day one hater.
Let’s not forget that Trump is a convicted felon with numerous sexual assault and fraud allegations under his belt—all things that Biden himself has called him out on ever since Trump kickstarted his political career in 2016. And for someone who tweeted that Trump is “A threat to freedom” and “A threat to Democracy” not five months ago, Biden sure seems to be flip-flopping on his beliefs now that he’s looking to retire somewhere that’s warm, sunny, and offers senior bingo on the weekends.
Honestly, I kind of get the frustration here. Biden is giving Trump way more grace than he deserves, as we’ve already seen the kind of shenanigans that would ensue had the tables been turned (cough cough, a violent insurrection of the U.S. Capitol). But really, Biden taking the high road should, in my opinion, be commended—after all, it makes him look far more level-headed in comparison, even though it’s the right, decent thing to do. Elections used to be dignified, folks!
Still, a lack of niceties and politeness hasn’t stopped Trump from winning in the past, so why bother now? He’s already proven that you can achieve the highest political office while having absolutely no decorum for the people around you. Maybe he really is changing his ways by accepting Biden’s invitation to this presidential bro-out, but again, I think this whole thing screams “staged.”
Even though Biden and Trump’s meeting might’ve rolled eyes worldwide, it’s important to remember that U.S. politics is all about optics. Biden will hand over the presidency to Trump to make it look like he’s going out on a high note, which both sides of the aisle will undoubtedly applaud. I don’t think there’s anything Biden can do at this point other than surrender and let the system do its thing, frustrating as it may be. All I can guarantee is that Inauguration Day is going to be a real headache.
Published: Nov 14, 2024 12:48 am