Following the recent presidential election, President Biden revealed in an exit interview with USA Today that President-elect Trump commended aspects of his economic approach during their Oval Office meeting focused on ensuring a seamless transition of power. This meeting, held in November, revived a presidential tradition that had been omitted in 2020.

Biden recounted Trump's acknowledgement of leaving office with a positive record and shared his advice to the incoming president, suggesting that pursuing personal vendettas would be against his best interests. When questioned about potential pardons, Biden indicated that Trump remained largely reticent on the subject.

In the same interview, Biden defended his decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden, emphasizing that Hunter had fulfilled his tax obligations. He also argued against the severity of potential jail time for Hunter's gun charges, highlighting the brief duration of the offense. Hunter Biden had been convicted in 2024 for making false statements related to a gun purchase and possession of a firearm while being a user of controlled substances.

Responding to a request for comment, Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung attributed President-elect Trump's victory to Biden's allegedly detrimental economic policies, asserting that Trump received a strong mandate to reinstate the successful economic strategies of his first term.