Biden Farewell Address Live Updates: US President Joe Biden delivered his farewell address to the nation on Wednesday night (local time), and called for Americans to stand guard after warning of a growing “oligarchy” in the nation. It was President Biden’s fifth and final address from the Oval Office. Six months back, he had announced not to run for the presidency from the office.
The speech by President Biden, which aired at 8 pm ET Wednesday (6:30 am IST Thursday) in the Oval Office, included his remarks on domestic politics and foreign relations which have cemented his legacy. Earlier in the day, Biden led his team to finalize a historic ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas to pause the 15 month long war. American hostages will be among those released in the first phase, Biden had said.
However, President Biden isn’t leaving the White House in the way he would have dreamt of as he announced his exit from the US presidential election in July 2024 and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the candidate for Democrats. He originally tried to run for reelection and set aside the concerns of voters that he would be 86 years old at the end of his second term. In a farewell letter, Biden wrote that it has been “the privilege of my life to serve this nation for over 50 years.”
US President Joe Biden, talking about the Statue of Liberty during his farewell speech, said "The Statue of Liberty is an enduring symbol of the soul of our nation – a soul shaped by the forces that bring us together, and by forces that pull us apart."
US President Joe Biden talked about spread of misinformation and disinformation among Americans, stating "Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation, enabling the abuse of power."
Biden added that free press is "crumbling" and editors are "disappearing" in his farewell address to the American people.
Biden further talked about social media not getting fact checked. "Social media is giving up on fact checking. The truth is smothered by lies told for power and for profit," he said.
US President Joe Biden delivered his farewell address at the Oval Office in White House on Wednesday night giving star warnings about misinformation, Artificial Intelligence and growing ‘oligarchy’ of the ultra-wealthy in America.
President Biden began his final speech by informing about the historic Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal which paused the hostilities between the two from the last 15 months. Biden credited the finalisation of the ceasefire agreement to his administration and said that hostages will be returning to their families soon.
Speaking last time from the Oval Office as president before he hands over the baton to President-elect Donald Trump, Biden seized the moment to bring up issues affecting Americans, including to spotlight the accumulation of power and wealth in the US among just a small few.
Concern over social media and Artificial Intelligence
President Joe Biden expressed his concerns over the spread of misinformation and disinformation and the potential rise of a tech industrial complex which could pose a threat to America.
Biden warns of developing oligarchy in US
President Joe Biden warned about the developing ‘oligarchy’ in America and stressed the importance of holding the ultra-wealthy accountable with similar expectations to that of middle class and working citizens.
US President Joe Biden, who is all set to vacate the White House for his predecessor and the incoming President-elect Donald Trump, listed some of his accomplishments during the farewell address on Wednesday night in the Oval Office.
Apart from touting his foreign policy accomplishments mentioning NATO, Biden said his administration played a significant role in lowering prescription drug prices for seniors, passing gun safety laws and helping veterans get health care.
During his farewell address, President Joe Biden talked about the foreign policy decisions which were taken during his tenure.
Biden stressed about how his policies strengthened North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) mentioning about Ukraine and China.
"Ukraine is still free, and we’ve pulled ahead of our competition with China and so much more,” Biden said.
Outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that he was concerned about a "dangerous concentration of power" among a few wealthy people in the United States.
"Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that really threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedom and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead," Biden said in his farewell address from the Oval Office.
(Reuters)
During his farewell address at the White House, President Joe Biden reflected on things which concerns him as his tenure ends on January 20 and pointed to social media and misinformation.
"Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation, enabling the abuse of power. The free press is crumbling, editors are disappearing," Biden said.
Targeting social media, the outgoing president said that social media has given up on fact checking and urged everyone to hold social platforms accountable to protect children, families and democracy from the abuse of power.
U.S. President Joe Biden warned on Wednesday in his farewell address that an American oligarchy is taking shape in the United States among a few wealthy people who have amassed a "dangerous concentration of power."
Biden warned of a "tech industrial complex" in the United States in words that echoed President Dwight Eisenhower's farewell address in 1961. Eisenhower, closing out eight years as president, had warned of the dangers of a "military-industrial complex" gaining power in the United States.
He did not mention names, but Tesla CEO Elon Musk, the world's richest man, has amassed not just vast wealth but has become a powerful adviser to Donald Trump, the Republican who will take over as president from Biden on Monday.
(Reuters)
President Joe Biden shared his thoughts on his farewell speech on X and said that it was a privilege for him to have served the United States for over 50 years.
"It’s been the privilege of my life to serve our nation for over 50 years. I’ve given my heart and soul to you, and I’ve been blessed a million times in return with the love and support of the American people," Biden wrote on X.
Talking about the technological advancement, President Joe Biden in his final address said that artificial intelligence has profound possibilities but comes in with a risk for economy, security, society and humanity.
"Artificial intelligence even has the potential to help us answer my call to end cancer as we know it. But unless safeguards are in place, AI could spawn new threats to our rights, our way of life, to our privacy, how we work and how we protect our nation," Biden said.
Biden further urged that America should lead in advancement of Artificial Intelligence and that it should be ensured that AI works for good. "And as the land of liberty, America not China, must lead the world in the development of AI," he said.
President Joe Biden during his fifth and final address from the Oval Office said that Americans need to stick to the democratic process and stay engaged with it, howsoever frustrating it could get.
"We have to stay engaged in the process. I know it’s frustrating. A fair shot is what makes America, America. Everyone is entitled to a fair shot, not a guarantee, just a fair shot, an even playing field," Biden said.
"Concentration of power and weather" causes division and it could make people feel that participating in democratic process like voting in election is an exhausting process, President Biden asserted.
President Joe Biden, while giving his final address as the president of the United States, warned that there is an "oligarchy" being developed in America and stressed the importance of holding the ultra-wealthy accountable with similar expectations to that of middle class and working citizens.
"I want to warn the country of some things that give me great concern. And this is a dangerous concern. And that’s the dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a very few ultra wealthy people," Biden said.
In the farewell speech, Biden further added "Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead."
US President Joe Biden, during his Oval Office speech on Wednesday night, mentioned about the historic Israel-Hamas deal which was signed on Wednesday after an year of negotiation.
President Biden gave the credit to his team for planning and finalising the ceasefire agreement and said that it would be largely implemented by the incoming Donald Trump's administration.
President Joe Biden in his farewell address to the nation on Wednesday night said that he has been thinking a lot about who the American people are and who should they be.
"I’ve been thinking a lot about who we are and maybe even more importantly, who we should be," Biden said. He even recalled the gift France gave to USA, the Statue of Liberty saying that “like the very idea of America. It was built not by one person, but by many people, from every background and from around the world.”
Watch as US President Joe Biden gives Farewell Address from the Oval Office in White House
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