U.S. President Donald Trump revealed that former President Joe Biden left him a “nice” handwritten letter in the Resolute Desk at the White House, continuing the tradition of outgoing presidents leaving messages for their successors.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Trump shared that he discovered the letter during a ceremony in the Oval Office on Monday evening. Addressed to “Number 47,” the note encouraged him to embrace the responsibilities of the presidency.
“It was a very nice one… just basically a little bit of an inspirational-type letter. Enjoy it. Do a good job. Important, very important how important the job is,” Trump quoted.
Trump, who began his second, non-consecutive term in office on Monday, expressed his intention to potentially make the letter public, describing it as “a positive” gesture from Biden.
A Tradition of Presidential Notes
The practice of presidents leaving letters for their successors dates back to Ronald Reagan, who in 1989 left a humorous note for George H.W. Bush on stationery marked “Don’t let the turkeys get you down.”
In January 2021, Trump left a letter for Biden, which the latter described as “very generous,” though he never disclosed its contents.
Trump, the first U.S. president since Grover Cleveland in the 19th century to serve non-consecutive terms, acknowledged the letter as a symbol of goodwill despite the political differences between the two leaders.