WATCH: Dejected Biden-Harris Staffers Look On As Trump Returns To White House

The atmosphere at the White House on Wednesday was charged with an unusual mix of sadness and history, as President Joe Biden welcomed President-elect Donald J. Trump back to the Oval Office. The meeting marked a significant moment in American political history, one that even Trump’s harshest critics acknowledged as a turning point.

Trump’s arrival, a visual emblem of his return to power following his 2024 election victory, drew dozens of Biden-Harris staffers to the windows and balconies of the West Wing. Many watched silently, with some visibly subdued. CNN’s live coverage captured the scene, describing it as “visually and emotionally stunning.”

“There’s a sense that even those who didn’t vote for him recognize the magnitude of this moment,” CNN noted. Trump, the first former president to regain the White House in more than a century, is poised to reshape the executive branch with his hallmark style of governance.

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Despite the lingering emotions, the staff’s presence during Trump’s arrival highlighted a begrudging acknowledgment of the democratic process. President Biden appeared in good health and good spirits Wednesday morning, sitting with President-elect Trump as the two recalled their tumultuous relationship over the years and promised a peaceful transition of power in January.

A screaming cacophony of reporters could be heard over the shutters of cameras capturing the Oval Office sit-down. Both men smiled while Trump whispered some thoughts to Biden, who smiled back. Press aides could be heard doing their best to interrupt the mayhem and shuffle reporters out the door. “Let’s go guys! Keep moving,” shouted one woman who briefly appeared on camera.

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Before chaos broke out, the two men shook hands and put their animus behind them. “To the president-elect, congratulations,” Biden stated, “and looking forward, like we said, to a smooth transition. Doing everything to make sure you’re accommodated, [have] what you need, and we’ll get a chance to talk about some of that today.”

“Good,” President Trump replied, nodding. “Thank you very much. Politics is tough, and it’s in many cases not a nice world. But it is a nice world today, and I appreciate very much a transition that’s so smooth, it’ll be as smooth as it can get, and I appreciate that Joe.”

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The two men have moved from visceral enemies to the bonhomie of bipartisan friendship, a long and tortuous arc that survived a bitter debate and attempted assassination. Biden, who dropped out in late July, was absent from the campaign trail for the past months as Vice President Harris did her best to take his place on the ticket. At 81, the President and First Lady Jill Biden feel that Harris and top Democrats pushed him aside to their own detriment.

For his part, Trump has previously admitted that he gets along great with Biden now that the two are not political foes. He “didn’t like Biden very much but now I like him quite a bit,” Trump told attendees at last month’s Al Smith dinner, eliciting a roar of laughter from the Catholic audience.

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