Outgoing president Joe Biden has told supporters “we all have more to do” in a farewell address on Donald Trump’s inauguration day.
He added: “We’re leaving office – but we’re not leaving the fight.”
Mr Biden, 82, addressed supporters and staff at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland on Monday afternoon after seeing his successor sworn in at the White House.
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Speaking to those assembled as Mr Trump addressed his supporters, he said: “The point I want to make clear today in my farewell address – is we all have more to do. You heard the inaugural address today – we got a lot more to do.”
He paused to make the sign of the cross, which sparked laughs from the audience. Mr Biden was seen making the same religious gesture during the inauguration ceremony itself.
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He continued: “Look, I know from many years of experience, there are ups and downs, but we have to stay with it.
“My dad taught me the measure of a person is how quickly they get up when they get knocked down – and that’s what we have to do right now.
“We never give up – we’re leaving office – but we’re not leaving the fight.”
He urged members of his administration to “stay engaged in all the ways you can” – whether it be in the public or private sector – or by “running for office yourself”.
“You’re smart, you’re skilled, you’re compassionate. Your country needs you again”, he said.
Thanking his former team for their “incredible” work”, he said it has been “the honour of my life to serve as your president”, adding: “It’s a greater honour to serve with all of you”.
Cheers of “Thank you Joe” were heard as he finished his speech – before he and his wife Jill boarded their Nighthawk 46 helicopter for their post-presidential life.
Mr Biden used his final hours in office to issue a series of presidential pardons – setting the record for any president.
He pardoned his brother James and his wife Sara, his sister Valerie and her husband John Owens, and his brother Francis – in response to “unrelenting attacks” by Donald Trump and his allies.
Among the others he used executive powers to pardon were Dr Anthony Fauci – who led the US public health response to the coronavirus pandemic – and members of the committee that investigated the 6 January insurrection.
On Friday, days before he left office, he announced he would be reducing the sentences of almost 2,500 people convicted of non-violent drug offences.
This is on top of 37 people who are currently on death row, who had their sentences converted to life imprisonment.
