UPDATE 2 - Biden, Trump agree to have 'smooth' transition of power

ADDS MEETING DETAILS

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - US President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump met Wednesday at the White House for transition talks.

"Congratulations and looking forward to having a, like we said, smooth transition -- do everything we can to make sure you're accommodated, what you need," Biden told Trump in the Oval Office. "Welcome, welcome back."

Trump, who won a second nonconsecutive term in the White House last week, thanked Biden and said politics is "tough."

"And it's in many cases not a very nice world, but it is a nice world today and I appreciate it very much. A transition that is so smooth, it will be as smooth as it can get, and I very much appreciate that, Joe," he said.

Reporters shouted questions but they were quickly escorted out.

First lady Jill Biden joined Biden in greeting Trump upon his arrival, according to the White House.

The first lady gave Trump a handwritten congratulations letter for his wife Melania, and "expressed her team’s readiness to assist with the transition," it said.

After a poor showing in a June presidential debate against Trump, Biden exited the race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic contender in the Nov. 5 election.

The Republican Party clinched a majority in the election, assuming control of the House of Representatives, Senate and the White House.

Trump won the election with 312 electoral votes, surpassing the 270 threshold against his Democratic rival Harris.

- 'Substantive meeting'

White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that Biden and Trump had an approximately two-hour meeting.

White House Chief-of-Staff Jeff Zients and incoming Chief-of-Staff Susie Wiles attended the meeting in the Oval Office, she said.

"It was a substantive meeting and exchange of views. They discussed important national security and domestic policy issues facing the nation and the world," said Jean-Pierre.

Biden raised "important items" on Congress’ to-do list for the lame duck session, including funding the government and providing the disaster supplemental funding the president requested, she said.

"We will have an orderly transition and a peaceful transition of power," added Jean-Pierre.

Ahead of his meeting with Biden, Trump gathered with Republicans on Capitol Hill.

"Isn't it nice to win? It's nice to win. It's always nice to win," Trump told Republicans.