Outgoing US President Joe Biden issued a stark warning about the state of American democracy during his farewell address from the Oval Office on Wednesday, January 15. Biden described the emergence of an oligarchy driven by “extreme wealth, power, and influence” as a grave danger to the nation’s democratic foundations.
“I want to warn the country of some things that give me great concern,” Biden said in the 16-minute speech, his voice steady but resolute. Without naming names, he alluded to Donald Trump and his affluent inner circle as threats to the freedom of ordinary Americans.
“An oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power, and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy,” Biden declared. He drew a parallel to former Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s 1961 farewell address, which cautioned against the rise of a “military-industrial complex.” Biden argued that a modern “tech-industrial complex” poses a similar risk today.
The president expressed concern over the spread of misinformation, the decline of traditional media, and the lack of accountability on social media platforms. “Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation. Editors are disappearing. Social media is giving up on fact-checking. The truth is smothered by lies told for power and for profit,” he said. Biden called for stronger regulations on tech companies to safeguard the nation’s democracy and protect families from the harmful effects of unchecked online content.
He specifically referenced billionaires such as Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos, who have publicly aligned themselves with Trump. Reports suggest the three tech magnates plan to attend Trump’s upcoming inauguration in a VIP section, further highlighting their influence in American politics.
Biden’s speech also included a call for sweeping reforms to safeguard the nation’s institutions. These included amending the Constitution to ensure that no president is immune from prosecution for crimes committed while in office. “We need to amend the Constitution to make clear that no president — no president — is immune from crimes that he or she commits while in office,” he emphasized, referencing a contentious Supreme Court ruling from last July.
As Biden’s term comes to a close on Monday at noon, Donald Trump is set to begin his second term. Biden’s parting words underscored the urgency of preserving the integrity of American democracy in the face of unprecedented challenges.