Biden’s Farewell, A Ceasefire, and Welcome Trump
Welcome back to Politics Explained! In the last week before Donald Trump becomes our 47th President, we’ll be summarizing Biden’s farewell address, updating you all on the Hamas-Israel ceasefire deal, and discussing Trump’s return to office.
This past Wednesday, President Joe Biden addressed the nation in a farewell during his final days in office. In his message, Biden warned of an “oligarchy”* forming in America, as the ultra-wealthy continue to take more prominence in politics and society. He also raised concerns of a “tech-industrial complex” that threatens the lives of Americans and democracy. Recently, tech billionaires like Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Meta/Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg have made donations to Trump’s inaugural committee. Additionally, we can’t forget about the $100 million donation from Elon Musk, and the possibility of him running a “Department of Government Efficiency” alongside former republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. Biden also called for a constitutional amendment “to make clear that no president — no president — is immune from crimes that he or she commits while in office.”
Israel has approved a ceasefire deal with Hamas. This deal includes many components, including Israeli troop withdrawals, hostage-for-prisoner swaps, and a 42 day truce during which Hamas and the Israeli government will negotiate an official end to the war. In terms of American politics, both President Biden and President-elect Trump have taken credit for this deal. While Biden reasoned that the deal includes “the precise contours” of a deal he proposed in May, Trump wrote on social media, “This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies.” Whether it was Biden’s plan and his push for an end to the war or the imminence of Trump’s presidency, we may never know.
This upcoming Monday is Inauguration Day, marking the start to Donald Trump’s second term. Instead of being outdoors, the swearing-in is planned to take place inside the Capitol Building’s rotunda due to extremely cold temperatures. On Friday, the Senate cleared the way for legislation that enables the detention and deportation of undocumented migrants accused of minor crimes or assaulting a police officer. We can expect this legislation to make it to Trump’s office once he returns, and is a reminder of his promises to crack down on immigration and the border. If you’re on social media, you may have also seen the Senate hearings of Trump’s cabinet picks as they are in the process of being confirmed. To conclude, with the entering of this new administration, stay tuned to keep up with all things US politics!
*Definition of the Week (oligarchy): A form of government in which power rests with a small number of people. In this case, the ultra-wealthy.
