President Biden and President-elect Trump met at the White House, pledging a smooth transition of power, marking a departure from their 2020 tensions. Jill Biden offered transition support to Melania Trump, while Trump continued selecting his administration team amidst Republican wins in Congress.

President Joe Biden and Donald Trump both expressed a commitment to ensuring a “smooth” transition of power during their first meeting since Trump won the presidential election last week.

Gathered in the Oval Office of the White House, Biden stated that he was “looking forward to having… a smooth transition” and reassured the president-elect that his team would “do everything we can to make sure you’re accommodated.” Trump responded by thanking Biden, adding, “I appreciate very much a transition that’s so smooth it’ll be as smooth as it can get.”

This cordial exchange was a notable departure from the aftermath of the last presidential election. After Biden’s 2020 victory, Trump refused to invite him to the White House, breaking with a long-standing tradition. At that time, Trump falsely claimed the election was rigged and repeated this accusation often throughout his recent campaign.

Wednesday’s meeting was the first time Trump had visited the White House in four years. The two leaders shared a quick photo opportunity before sitting down in front of a lit fireplace, where they exchanged polite greetings for the cameras.

“Welcome, welcome back,” Biden said to Trump.

“Politics is tough, and it’s in many cases not a very nice world, but it is a nice world today, and I appreciate very much a transition that’s so smooth it’ll be as smooth as it can get, and I very much appreciate that, Joe,” Trump replied.

While the traditional meeting between the current president and president-elect took place, a similar gesture between First Lady Jill Biden and Melania Trump was absent. Melania did not accompany her husband to the White House, a departure from the usual custom where the incoming first lady has tea with her predecessor while their husbands meet. Instead, Jill Biden stood beside President Biden as he welcomed Trump and handed him a handwritten letter addressed to Mrs. Trump. In the letter, Jill Biden conveyed “her team’s readiness to assist with the transition,” according to White House sources.

Following their public greetings, Trump and Biden moved to a more private setting for a nearly two-hour conversation. They reportedly discussed a range of topics, including U.S. foreign policy and the logistics of the transition process. White House sources indicated that Trump’s incoming chief of staff, Susie Wiles, and Biden’s chief of staff, Jeff Zients, joined part of the conversation, as reported by CBS News, the BBC’s U.S. media partner.

As Trump and Biden met, Senate Republicans convened to elect their new majority leader, ultimately selecting South Dakota Senator John Thune after two rounds of voting. In another political development on Wednesday, CBS projected that Republicans had won control of the House of Representatives, giving Trump support in both legislative chambers.

Meanwhile, the president-elect continues to fill his upcoming administration as the January 20 inauguration approaches. His recent appointments include Fox News host Pete Hegseth as secretary of defense and billionaire Elon Musk in a newly created cost-cutting role. Approximately 4,000 political appointments are anticipated to be completed before Trump’s inauguration, a process that typically takes several months.