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Biden’s farewell speech sounds alarm

​US President Joe Biden looks on after he delivered his farewell address to the nation from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on Jan. 15, 2025.

US President Joe Biden looks on after he delivered his farewell address to the nation from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on Jan. 15, 2025.

MANDEL NGAN/Pool via REUTERS
Riley Callanan
By Riley CallananJanuary 16, 2025
Riley Callanan

Riley is a former writer and reporter for GZERO. When she isn’t writing about global politics, you can find her making GZERO’s crossword puzzles, conducting research on American politics, or persisting in her lifelong quest to learn French. Riley spends her time outside of work grilling, dancing, and wearing many hats (both literally and figuratively).

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In an ominous farewell address from the Oval Office late Wednesday, President Joe Biden concluded half a century of public service by warning about the emergence of an “oligarchy” in America. His speech focused on concerns about democratic institutions under the incoming Trump administration, particularly regarding the influence of billionaires like Elon Musk. Biden specifically cautioned that a “tech-industrial complex” was grinding away at the idea of truth and pointed to the concentration of power among the ultrawealthy.

Biden emphasized the importance of democratic engagement and continued progress on issues like climate change, warning against powerful interests seeking to reverse environmental initiatives.

Rather than highlighting his own achievements, the speech called for a series of ethical reforms for government officials, including term limits and ethics reform for the Supreme Court, banning congressional stock trading, and a constitutional amendment clarifying that presidents are not immune from crimes committed while in office.

Biden ended his final speech in office by emphasizing the importance of American democratic institutions, noting that while imperfect, “they’ve maintained our democracy for nearly 250 years, longer than any other nation in history that’s ever tried such a bold experiment.”

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