Just days before Trump's inauguration, the outgoing US president urged unity before delivering a farewell address at the White House.

Outgoing US President Joe Biden says he believes the "soul of America" ​​remains in danger, less than a week before Donald Trump is set to enter the White House for a second term.

In a letter released Wednesday morning, just hours before he was set to deliver a farewell address to the nation, Biden urged Americans to unite.

"I ran for president because I believed that the very soul of America was at stake. Our very essence was at stake. And, that remains the case," he wrote.

"History is in your hands. The power is in your hands. The idea of ​​America is in your hands. We just have to keep the faith and remember who we are. We are the United States of America, and as long as we work together, nothing is beyond us range of capabilities.”

While the letter did not explicitly mention Trump, Biden and his Democratic allies have previously warned that the Republican president-elect, who is set to be inaugurated on Monday, posed a threat to democracy.

On January 6, 2021, a group of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., in an attempt to prevent Congress from certifying Biden's victory over his Republican opponent in the 2020 election.

Trump continued to falsely claim that the 2020 vote was against him and promised to pardon those convicted of actions during the Jan. 6 riot.

Wednesday's letter comes as Biden is due to address the nation from the White House at 8pm (01:00 GMT Thursday) as he seeks to highlight what he sees as the government's successes over the past four years.

"I signed one of the most important laws to help millions of veterans and their families exposed to toxic substances, as well as the most important climate law ever and the first major legislation in nearly 30 years," he said in the letter. gun safety laws.”

Earlier this week, Biden also delivered a wide-ranging foreign policy speech in which he touted the administration's commitment to global alliances, among other things.

But the Democratic president has also been widely criticized for his handling of major global issues, including his unwavering support for Israel as it wages a deadly war in the Gaza Strip.

Amid reports that a ceasefire in Gaza could be agreed this week on the eve of Trump's inauguration, observers say Biden has failed in months to meaningfully pressure Israel to end its military offensive, including limiting U.S. The aid of this supreme ally.

The United States provides at least $3.8 billion in military aid to Israel annually, and researchers at Brown University recently estimated that the Biden administration has provided an additional $17.9 billion since the Gaza war began in October 2023.

Another hallmark of Biden's presidency was his decision last year to abandon his re-election bid amid concerns about his age and reelection.

In July, he performed poorly in a debate with Trump, triggering widespread criticism, including from top Democrats, and was forced to withdraw from the race for the White House.

Biden was replaced as the Democratic presidential nominee by his Vice President, Kamala Harris, who was soundly defeated by Trump in the Nov. 5 election.

Former presidential adviser David Axelrod said: "All Joe Biden wants is to be remembered for the great things he has done for this country, which, at least in the short term, will not be considered because of his failure to do so." overshadowed by Zhou's campaign decision," Barack Obama told Reuters.

"When he defeated Trump, he became a historic president. So, obviously, the fact that Trump came back and returned to power stronger than when he left is an unpleasant part of the story. end."