After losing the 2020 election, then-President Donald Trump violated two traditions that characterize the peaceful transfer of American democratic power.
First, he refused to invite now-President-elect Joe Biden to the White House in the weeks after the race when he argued that he was not losing. Later, he skipped Biden’s inauguration, instead leaving Washington just hours before the ceremony began.
But that custom will return as Trump and Biden meet on Wednesday in the Oval Office.
It will mark Trump’s first time back in the White House since ending his tenure under a cloud of election rejection four years ago. A week before his departure, he was impeached by the House of Representatives for the second time as lawmakers accused him of “inciting insurrection” after his supporters stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Trump vowed to return and did so last week. He swept all seven swing states, earning 312 electoral votes to Vice President Kamala Harris’ 226 votes, and was on track to win the popular vote.
Biden spoke with Trump on November 6 to congratulate him and extend a political olive branch with an invitation to the White House.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday that President Biden did it because “he believes in the norm.”
“It’s important not only because it’s important to them, but it’s important to the American people,” Jean-Pierre said. “The American people deserve this. They deserve a peaceful transfer of power. They deserve a smooth transition. And that’s what you’re going to see.”
This combo image shows President Joe Biden, left, and President-elect Donald Trump, right.
Susan Walsh|Alex Brandon/AP
Last month, before Election Day, the White House said Biden would attend the inauguration regardless of who won.
Biden made preserving democracy the central message of his 2020 campaign and 2024 re-election bid before backing down, repeatedly casting Trump as a threat to the institution on January 6.
“They want to show the American people that the system works,” Jean-Pierre said.
Asked by ABC News White House Correspondent Karen Travers what was on the agenda for the meeting, Jean-Pierre said the conversation would be private but reporters would be allowed in the room to capture the start of the sit-down.
National security adviser Jake Sullivan said last weekend that Biden and Trump will meet on domestic and foreign policy issues.
Vice President Harris will not attend the meeting, Jean-Pierre said.
The White House also said there was no update on whether Melania Trump would meet with first lady Jill Biden. ABC News has reported that Melania Trump is not expected to travel to Washington with her husband on Wednesday.
In 2016, Michelle Obama hosted Melania Trump at the White House when President Barack Obama invited Trump a few days after the election. The two met for 90 minutes, and Obama called the conversation “excellent.”
President Barack Obama, from right, President-elect Donald Trump, First Lady-elect Melania Trump, and First Lady Michelle Obama, outside the White House before the inauguration of the 58th president in Washington, DC, January 20, 2017.
Kevin Dietsch/Pool via Bloomberg/Getty Images
While in Washington, Trump will also visit the Capitol.
House Republican leaders took an early victory lap on Tuesday as the party moved closer to the “trifecta” — or control of the White House, Senate and House. ABC News has yet to reveal the balance of power in the House, although Republicans are three seats short of a majority.
“It’s a new day in America,” said Speaker Mike Johnson. He said Republicans are ready to start delivering on Trump’s agenda on Day 1 of his administration.
Johnson later confirmed Trump would meet with him on Wednesday morning before meeting with Biden. The speaker said that Trump expressed his desire to meet with the entire Republican conference, and hoped that would happen.
“I’m sure he’ll come and join us,” Johnson said.
ABC News’ Justin Gomez contributed to this report.
