Presidential letters unsealed: What Joe Biden told Donald Trump

Donald Trump has revealed what Joe Biden wrote to him in a final note as he departed the White House. See how it compares to other presidential letters left in the Oval Office.

Nowadays, every American President carries on a unique tradition of leaving a letter in the Resolute Desk of the Oval Office.

The contents of the letter includes their personal advice for holding one of the world’s most powerful positions and it also contains their well wishes.

Here are some of the excerpts from letters left from former presidents of the United States that have been left since Ronald Reagan’s era.

1989: Ronald Reagan to George H.W. Bush

In 1989, Reagan penned a note on an illustration of an elephant — the animal mascot of the Republican Party.

“Don’t let the turkeys get you down,” the caption said.

“You’ll have moments when you want to use this particular stationery. Well go to it. George I treasure the memorys we share and wish you all the very best.” he wrote.

The letter Ronald Reagan wrote to George H.W. Bush.

George Bush raises his right hand as he repeats the Oath of Office in 1989. Picture: Getty Images

1993: George H.W. Bush to Bill Clinton

In his letter, Bush wrote to Clinton: “Your success now is our country’s success. I am rooting hard for you.

“There will be very tough times, made even more difficult by criticism you may not think is fair. I’m not a very good one to give advice; but just don’t let the critics discourage you or push you off course.”

The note George H. W. Bush left for Bill Clinton.

Bill Clinton then wrote a letter for the younger Bush on his first day of office on January 20, 2001.

2001: Bill Clinton to George W. Bush

Clinton continued the tradition with a handwritten note to the younger Bush. “Like me, you are especially fortunate to lead our country in a time of profound and largely positive change, when old questions, not just about the role of government, but about the very nature of our nation, must be answered anew.

“The sheer joy of doing what you believe is right is inexpressible,” he wrote.

An excerpt from the note George W Bush wrote to Barack Obama in 2009.

2009: George W. Bush to Barack Obama

Bush tucked his letter for Obama in the top drawer of the Resolute Desk, offering advice.

“There will be trying moments. The critics will rage. Your “friends” will disappoint you. But, you will have an Almighty God to comfort you, a family who loves you, and a country that is pulling for you, including me. No matter what comes, you will be inspired by the character and compassion of the people you now lead,” he wrote.

In a note titled ‘Playing House in the White House’, Barbara and Jenna Bush, then 27 years old, told Sasha, 7, and Malia, 10, to remember who their dad is. They advised the girls surround themselves with “loyal friends”.

2017: Barack Obama to Donald Trump

Obama’s note paid tribute to Trump also urging him to “leave those instruments of our democracy at least as strong as we found them.”

“Not everyone is so lucky. It’s up to us to do everything we can (to) build more ladders of success for every child and family that’s willing to work hard,” he wrote.

“Michelle and I wish you and Melania the very best as you embark on this great adventure, and know that we stand ready to help in any ways which we can.”

Trump publicly described the letter as “beautiful.”

“It was really very nice of him to do that and we will cherish that. We will keep that,” he told reporters.

The tradition started in 1989. Picture: AP Photo/Jon Elswick

2022: Donald Trump to Joe Biden

Biden has said Trump’s letter was “very generous” but he has not shared its contents. According to Bob Woodward and Robert Costa, authors of the book Peril, on discovering the note in the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office, Biden “put it in his pocket and did not share it with his advisers”.

Donald Trump holds up outgoing President Joe Biden's letter. Picture: AFP

2025: Joe Biden to Donald Trump

Joe Biden left a letter which Mr Trump found in the White House’s Oval Office after he was sworn in as the 47th US President. It was obtained and read out in full by Fox News political correspondent Peter Doocy, who said the cursive handwriting was, at times, difficult to read.

“Dear President Trump. As I take leave of this sacred office I wish you and your family all the best in the next four years,” Mr Biden wrote.

“The American people – and people around the world – look to this house for steadiness in the inevitable storms of history, and my prayer is that the coming years will be a time of prosperity, peace, and grace for our nation.

“May God bless you and guide you as He has blessed and guided our beloved country since our founding.”

Originally published as Presidential letters unsealed: What Joe Biden told Donald Trump