On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump disclosed that his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, left him a handwritten letter inside the Resolute Desk at the White House, continuing a long-standing Inauguration Day tradition.
Speaking to reporters, Trump shared details about the letter, which he discovered Monday evening after his second-term inauguration. According to Trump, the note was addressed to “Number 47” and carried an encouraging tone.
“It was a very nice one,” Trump said. “Just basically a little bit of an inspirational-type letter. [It said] ‘Enjoy it. Do a good job. Important, very important, how important the job is.’”
The letter, Trump suggested, reflects positively on Biden’s acknowledgment of the presidency’s significance. “I think it’s a positive, and I’m considering making it public,” he said, noting that he wanted to read it privately first.
A Tradition of Letter Writing
The discovery of the letter came during a ceremony in the Oval Office when a journalist asked Trump if Biden had left a message for him. Trump held up the note for cameras, displaying the handwritten “47” on the front, a nod to Trump being the 47th president of the United States.
The tradition of outgoing presidents leaving letters for their successors dates back to Ronald Reagan, who left a memorable note for George H.W. Bush in 1989 on stationery marked, “Don’t let the turkeys get you down.”
Trump himself continued the practice in January 2021 when Biden assumed the presidency, leaving a note that Biden later described as “very generous.” However, Biden chose not to release its contents publicly.
Trump’s Unique Presidency
Trump’s return to the White House marks him as the first president since Grover Cleveland in the late 19th century to serve non-consecutive terms. His inauguration on Monday, following a contentious campaign and significant political shifts, underscores the historic nature of his presidency.
While Trump has often clashed with Biden on policy and political matters, the discovery and acknowledgment of the letter highlight a rare moment of civility between the two leaders.
As of now, it remains unclear whether Trump will release the full contents of the letter, but his comments suggest an appreciation for the symbolic gesture and its continuation of a presidential tradition.
