Donald Trump's Secret Letter to Joe Biden Finally Revealed, Showing Astonishing Message Left in Oval Office

US President Donald Trump left Joe Biden a surprisingly warm handwritten letter when he departed the White House in January 2021, despite spending months attacking his election rival and refusing to accept his defeat.

The message, written in Trump's trademark black Sharpie, has now been revealed in Biden's forthcoming memoir, offering an unexpected glimpse into the private relationship between two presidents whose public exchanges were frequently hostile.

Trump praised Biden's love for America, urged him to make his mark on history and wished him well as he prepared to take over the Oval Office.

What Trump Wrote in His Secret Letter to Biden

The two-page letter was written on official White House stationery and dated 20 January 2021, the day Biden was inaugurated as America's 46th president. It was placed in an envelope addressed 'To 46' and began with the greeting 'Dear Joe.'

According to the photocopy reviewed by The New York Times and the account in Biden's book, Trump opened by describing working in the Oval Office as a 'blessing beyond imagination.'

He encouraged his successor to remember the presidents who had occupied the office before him and consider the legacy he wanted to leave behind.

'You now have the opportunity to choose your place in history, and I know you will be true to yourself and the American people,' Trump wrote.

He also suggested that previous presidents had largely been swept along by history rather than changing its course, adding that he believed Biden would be different because of his love for the American people.

Trump ended the message by wishing Biden and his wife, Jill, well, writing, 'May God bless you and Jill, and may God bless America!'

Biden Surprised by Unexpectedly Warm Message

Biden had previously acknowledged receiving a letter from Trump on his first day in office but declined to disclose its contents, describing it as private and 'very generous.'

In his forthcoming memoir, 'Promise Me, America,' Biden explains that the message surprised him because of the hostility that had characterised their political relationship. He described the contrast as feeling like there were 'two Donald Trumps,' with the private letter offering best wishes in language that sounded as though it came from an old friend.

The gesture was particularly notable because Trump had challenged the results of the 2020 presidential election and declined to attend Biden's inauguration.

Trump Told Biden They Could Have Been Good Friends

The letter was not the only unexpectedly friendly exchange Biden recalled in his memoir. The former president also described a meeting with Trump at the White House on 13 November 2024, shortly after the Republican defeated Kamala Harris in the presidential election.

According to Biden, Trump adopted a remarkably friendly tone during their conversation, leaving him wondering whether the president-elect was putting him on.

Trump reportedly told him: 'You know, Joe, if it weren't for politics, I believe we'd be good friends.'

He then suggested that the pair might have spent their time golfing together if politics had not come between them. Biden wrote that he was too stunned to respond immediately and did not understand why Trump was being so complimentary. He eventually redirected the conversation towards the business at hand.