International

US: President Biden Gives Farewell Speech, Issues Out Warnings

Published

3 hours ago

Jan 16, 2025.

Femi Fabunmi

America

Joe Biden Gives Farewell Speech to Americans
Warns Them Against Developing Oligarchy in the country
Rolls Out His Accomplishments in Four Years

Outgoing US president, Joe Biden has said his farewell tour years after his emergence at the a white House.

The one-term Democratic leader sat behind the Resolute Desk on Wednesday evening to issue a 19-minute address to frame his four-year presidency on his own terms – and to appeal for a brand of politics that he sees as rapidly disappearing.

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Biden cast his legacy as one of rebuilding and transformation. But unlike some of his recent speeches, he did not use the moment to recite a laundry list of his accomplishments.

Instead, Biden used the bulk of his time to issue a final warning about the path he sees the nation following, one he cautioned could erode the institutions he’s spent more than 50 years revering.

Biden issued a warning on a developing “oligarchy” in America as he stressed the importance of holding the ultra-wealthy to the same expectations as the working- and middle-class 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.

He 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.”

He did not name the subjects of his warning, but his targets seemed clear: Donald Trump and Elon Musk, the world’s richest man who’s about to have a clear line to the White House.

The president made reference to the concentration of power over a century ago in the hands of “robber barons,” which was broken through antitrust practices, an issue Biden has made a priority during his administration over a century later.

“They didn’t punish the wealthy. They just made the wealthy play by the rules everybody else had to. Workers wanted rights to earn their fair share,” Biden said. “They were dealt into the deal, and it helped put us on a path to building the largest middle class and the most prosperous century any nation in the world has ever seen. We’ve got to do that again.”

Taken together, the warnings amounted to a challenge to the incoming president and his team to live up to the populist promises of the campaign trail – ones Biden and many Democrats view as empty.

A warning over social media and tech companies

Biden pointed to social media as he reflected on the things that concern him as his presidency comes to a close.

I’m equally concerned about the potential rise of a tech industrial complex that could pose real dangers for our country, as well,” he said.

“Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation, enabling the abuse of power. The free press is crumbling, editors are disappearing,” he added.

“Social media is giving up on fact checking. The truth is smothered by lies told for power and for profit. We must hold the social platforms accountable to protect our children, our families and our very democracy from the abuse of power,” he urged.

According to him, it will take time for his accomplishments to be felt in the country.

Biden is immensely proud of the list of accomplishments he leaves behind, and has said he doesn’t believe he’s received enough credit for them.

He ticked through many of them on Wednesday, though chose not to expand on them in detail during his final appearance before the American people.

Instead, he urged patience as his record is assessed, suggesting history could view him differently than polls.

“It will take time to feel the full impact of what we’ve done together. But the seeds are planted, and they’ll grow and they’ll bloom for decades to come,” he said during his farewell address.

He listed some of the accomplishment, including lowering prescription drug prices for seniors, passing gun safety laws and helping veterans get health care.

Biden also touted foreign policy accomplishments and pointed to how he “strengthened NATO.”