US President Donald Trump said yesterday that his predecessor Joe Biden left him a "sweet" letter in the historic oak "Resolution" desk in the Oval Office of the White House, continuing the tradition of the inauguration day, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
Trump told reporters that he opened the letter on Monday evening and was thinking about whether to make it public. He said that Biden advised him to spend his term well and emphasized the importance of his role.
"It said: "For number 47", Trump said. "It was a very nice ... just generally kind of an inspiring letter", the US president said, sharing more from the letter: "Have a good time. Do a good job. It's important, it's very important how important the job is".
Trump, who took office for his second term in the White House on Monday, said he felt he had to let people see the letter because it was "positive" for Biden.
He said he found the handwritten letter on his desk on Monday during the Oval Office ceremony after a reporter asked him if he had received a message from Biden. Trump held it up for the cameras, showing the handwritten "47", saying he would read it privately before deciding whether to reveal its contents.
Trump, the first president since former US President Grover Cleveland in the late 19th century to not serve consecutive terms, left a letter for Biden when he took office in January 2021. Biden said at the time that it was a "very generous" letter, but did not release its contents publicly.