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Broadcast of Trump's speech in the White House briefing room
Photo: Yuri Gripas / POOL / EPA-EFE / Shutterstock
Last chance for a presidential appearance - and what is Donald Trump doing?
The outgoing US president defended his government balance sheet in his farewell speech to the nation.
In a video address, Trump claimed numerous successes in domestic, economic and foreign policy: "We have restored American strength at home - and American leadership abroad."
At the same time, Trump wished the future administration of his successor Joe Biden success - without even mentioning him by name in the 20-minute speech.
"This week we're introducing a new administration into office and praying for its success to keep America safe and prosperous," Trump said in a video message released by the White House the day before his term was due to end.
Trump also praised his work as president: “The world respects us again.
Please don't lose this respect. ”He listed his mediation work in the Middle East as successes of his term in office.
"I'm especially proud to be the first president in decades who hasn't started new wars."
Trump sees his fight against Corona as a great success
The most controversial US president of the past decades also described his fight against the corona pandemic as a great success - on the day on which the number of corona deaths in the USA exceeded the threshold of 400,000.
Trump particularly emphasized the rapid development of vaccines.
Trump said his administration had overachieved its goals.
"We have revived our alliances and brought the nations of the world together to confront China like never before." In fact, relations with traditional allies like Germany have been heavily strained after Trump's tenure.
The President had started a trade war with the EU.
Trump had also threatened the US to withdraw from NATO (read more about Trump's balance sheet here).
Trump did not admit his defeat against Biden in the presidential election at the beginning of November and tried with extremely questionable methods to overturn Biden's victory afterwards.
Democrat Biden will be sworn in on Wednesday afternoon (local time) in Washington.
Trump has announced that he will be staying away from the ceremony.
He is the first President since Andrew Johnson in 1869 to fail to attend the inauguration ceremony for his successor at the Capitol.
Trump condemns violence
Trump's resistance to his defeat culminated just under two weeks ago when violent supporters of the elected president stormed the Capitol.
Earlier, Trump had called his supporters to march on the Capitol in an incendiary speech and is therefore held jointly responsible for the violence.
A week ago, the US House of Representatives initiated impeachment proceedings against Trump for "inciting riot".
In his video message, Trump said: "Political violence is an attack on everything we as Americans value.
It can never be tolerated. "However, he also stated," Now that I am preparing to hand over power to a new government on Wednesday lunchtime, I want you to know that the movement we started will not take place until The beginning is. "
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