The tension between outgoing and incoming presidents was palpable during this year’s historic inauguration ceremony. As Donald Trump officially began his second term as the 47th U.S. president on January 20, a telling moment between him and Joe Biden didn’t go unnoticed. Professional lip readers analyzing footage from the event revealed Trump delivered a blunt two-word remark to his predecessor during their White House meeting.
The traditional pre-inauguration gathering at the White House, where Biden and First Lady Jill Trump hosted the Trumps, was meant to symbolize peaceful transition of power. But the brief exchange suggested otherwise. This came after months of intense scrutiny over Biden’s health and fitness for office, culminating in the 82-year-old Democrat withdrawing from the race last July “for the good of my party and country,” subsequently endorsing Kamala Harris as his replacement.
Trump’s decisive electoral victory with 312 electoral votes set the stage for immediate action. True to form, the newly inaugurated president wasted no time implementing his agenda, signing multiple executive orders to reverse Biden-era policies. Among his most controversial early moves was granting clemency to over 1,500 individuals connected to the January 6 Capitol unrest, according to BBC reports.
