President Joe Biden delivered his final address to the nation from the Oval Office on Wednesday night, reflecting on his presidency and asserting that the country is “stronger, more prosperous and more secure” than when he took office. During the 18-minute speech, the outgoing executive touted his successes in creating jobs, promoting healthcare, addressing climate change, and advancing American interests abroad–while also taking several thinly veiled swipes at the incoming Trump administration.
“After 50 years at the center of all of this, I know that believing in the idea of America means respecting the institutions that govern a free society: the presidency, the congress, the courts, a free and independent press,” Biden said.
After beginning his address by celebrating the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement (which was still being finalized at the time of Biden’s speech), the president shifted focus to the “tech industrial complex” that he fears will create an “oligarchy” under the Trump administration.
“In my farewell address tonight, I want to warn the country of some things that give me great concern. And that’s a dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a very few ultra-wealthy people and the dangerous consequences if their abuse of power is left unchecked,” Biden said. “Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America, of extreme wealth, power, and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead.”
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Though Biden did not specifically name any of these technocratic oligarchs, his comments were clearly directed at figures like Elon Musk, as well as Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos, who have made efforts towards mending fences with the president-elect.
“In his farewell address, President [Dwight] Eisenhower spoke of the dangers of the military-industrial complex. He warned us then about ‘the potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power,’” Biden continued. “Six decades later, I’m equally concerned about the potential rise of a tech-industrial complex that could pose real dangers for our country as well. Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation, enabling the abuse of power. The free press is crumbling. Editors are disappearing. Social media is giving up on fact-checking. The truth is smothered by lies told for power and for profit. We must hold the social platforms accountable to protect our children, our families, and our very democracy from the abuse of power.”
This latter remark is likely in reference to Zuckerberg’s recent announcement that Meta’s social media platforms will no longer use third-party fact-checkers to police misinformation, relying instead on a community notes model.
Elsewhere in his address, Biden urged Congress to amend the Constitution to eliminate presidential immunity, asserting that no president should be above the law. This call for reform follows a Supreme Court ruling that granted President-elect Donald Trump significant legal protections concerning his official actions, which has raised concerns about accountability for misconduct while in office.
“We need to amend the Constitution to make clear that no president is immune from crimes that he or she commits while in office,” he said. “The president’s power is not unlimited. It’s not absolute, and it shouldn’t be.”
In his accompanying farewell letter, Biden also highlighted achievements such as job creation and economic recovery while acknowledging challenges like inflation and the COVID pandemic.
To cap off his 50-year career in politics, Biden concluded his address by thanking the nation for its support and encouraging its citizens to preserve its values, saying:
After 50 years of public service, I give you my word, I still believe in the idea for which this nation stands. A nation where the strength of our institutions and the character of our people matter and must endure. Now it’s your turn to stand guard. May you all be the keeper of the flame, may you keep faith. I love America. You love it too. God bless you all. May God protect our troops. Thank you for this great honor.
Connor Walcott is the lead writer for Valuetainment.com. Follow Connor on X and look for him on VT’s “The Unusual Suspects.”
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