Wednesday 20th January 2021
Prayers for the new government
Trump praises his balance sheet in a farewell speech
The outgoing US President gives a farewell speech to the nation, as tradition has it. Trump takes the opportunity to point out what he has chalked up as successes of his term in office – including not having started a new war. He wishes the new government all the best, he does not mention the name "Biden".
The outgoing US President Donald Trump defended his government balance sheet in his farewell speech. In a video address on Tuesday, the Republican claimed numerous domestic, economic and foreign policy successes: "We have restored American strength at home – and American leadership abroad." At the same time, Trump called for prayer for the government of his successor Joe Biden, without mentioning the Democrats by name even once.
*Privacy
"Together with millions of hard-working patriots across the country, we have built the greatest political movement in the history of this country," said Trump in a nearly 20-minute speech that was recorded in the White House on Monday. "We have also built the greatest economy in the history of the world."
The USA would be "respected" again in the world, assured Trump, whose term of office ends on Wednesday afternoon. "I am particularly proud to be the first US president in decades to not start a new war."
The most controversial US president of the past decades also described his fight against the corona pandemic as a great success – on the day on which the number of corona deaths in the USA exceeded the threshold of 400,000. Trump particularly emphasized the rapid development of vaccines.
Trump again condemns violence
In his speech, the outgoing president called on US citizens to “pray” for the success of his successor Biden's administration: “This week we are introducing a new government and praying for its success in maintaining America's security and prosperity. "
The right-wing populist has not clearly admitted his defeat in the presidential election from November 3rd to this day and has not congratulated Biden on his victory. Rather, Trump had denounced alleged electoral fraud for weeks without any evidence and tried to overturn the election result.
Radical Trump supporters then stormed the US Congress on January 6th to prevent Biden's election victory from being finally confirmed. Trump had previously called on his supporters to march on the Capitol in an inflammatory speech and is therefore made jointly responsible for the violence. A week ago, the US House of Representatives initiated impeachment proceedings against Trump for "inciting riot".
In his farewell speech, Trump condemned the storming of the Capitol. "Political violence is an attack on everything we as Americans value. It can never be tolerated." Addressing his supporters, Trump also said auspiciously: "The movement that we have started is only the beginning."
Trump will not attend Biden's swearing-in ceremony on Wednesday, but will fly to his Mar-a-Lago estate in the state of Florida before the ceremony. He is the first president in more than 150 years to avoid the inauguration of his successor.
.