In the final hours of the Trump presidency, the man who entered the White House with daily made-for-TV moments released a farewell video recorded behind closed doors.
"We did what we came here to do, and so much more. This week we inaugurate a new administration and pray for its success," Mr. Trump said.
The president is said to be weighing pardons and commutations for potentially dozens of people, including high profile allies, as one of his final acts.
While Trump referred to the “next” and “new” administration in the nearly 20-minute speech taped in the White House Blue Room, he never mentioned President-elect Joe Biden by name.
But Trump acknowledged that he will “hand power over to a new administration at noon on Wednesday” - when Trump’s term ends and Biden’s begins.
Trump, who spent months trying to delegitimize Biden's win with baseless allegations of mass voter fraud, also highlighted what he sees as his top achievements in office, including efforts to normalize relations in the Middle East.
"As I conclude my term as the 45th president of the United States. I stand before you, truly proud of what we have achieved together," Trump said in the message.
He also addressed the storming of the Capitol building by his supporters after he directed them to “fight” the election results showing he lost.
He said that “all Americans were horrified by the assault on our Capitol” and that “political violence is an attack on everything we cherish as Americans” and “can never be tolerated.”
