President Joe Biden plans to deliver two major speeches before leaving office as part of an effort to outline key parts of his legacy from more than 50 years in public service, according to two people familiar with the plans. That’s what it means.
The first speech, which will focus on foreign policy, is expected to take place after Biden returns from a trip to Italy on January 12, the people said. They said Biden plans to end his final days in the White House with a farewell address to the nation.
Neither speech has yet been fully drafted, but the content and themes for both have been developed, according to people familiar with the president’s plans.
In his farewell address, Biden will deliver a message to Americans about the future and reflect on his decades in public service, including his four years in the White House, according to people familiar with the president’s plans. That’s what it means.
The traditional address echoes the farewell sentiments of Biden’s recent predecessors, including former Presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, who gave farewell speeches at the White House. It is expected to convey a similar spirit. He chose to address the nation from his hometown of Chicago in front of a large crowd of supporters.
After losing the 2020 election, President-elect Donald Trump posted a prerecorded video message online the day before Biden was sworn into office.
Biden’s foreign policy speech will focus on his belief that the United States is stronger by investing in its alliances around the world, according to people familiar with the president’s speech. Mr. Biden is expected to emphasize efforts to expand and strengthen U.S. relations with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the Indo-Pacific region, as well as the military and financial support his administration has provided to Ukraine since the Russian invasion in 2022.
It is unclear how much the speech will touch on Biden’s decision to order the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, a decision that was widely criticized and resulted in the deaths of 13 U.S. service members.
Biden is likely to mention his administration’s efforts to combat terrorist organizations, including ISIS, but his speech will focus on domestic terrorism after the New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans, according to a person familiar with the president’s plans. It is not expected to focus on threats.
The administration is considering additional measures before Biden leaves office to prevent attacks from domestic radicalization, according to people familiar with the discussions.
The president plans to spend the last two weeks of his term busy. He is scheduled to travel to New Orleans on Monday to meet with families of the victims of the attack there and local officials. He will then travel to California to highlight his environmental record, including a new designation as a national monument.
On Thursday, Biden is scheduled to make a three-day visit to Rome and Vatican City, likely the last overseas trip of his term.
The president also plans to issue additional pardons specifically focused on sentencing disparities before he leaves the White House on January 20, according to people familiar with the plan. The person said Biden has not decided whether to preemptively pardon people who may be subject to retaliation by the new Trump administration, but he has no intention of granting pardons to those who do not wish to be pardoned. That’s what it means.
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