President Joe Biden used the first half of his 17-minute farewell address Wednesday night to tout his achievements over the past four years, highlighting infrastructure and climate legislation that created new jobs across the country.
Then it got dark.
Speaking from the Oval Office, Biden warned that a powerful “oligarchy” threatens U.S. democracy — and is working to diminish and destroy his climate policy. He said climate change was among the most dire threats facing the country and that he was concerned about the fate of his landmark climate law, the Inflation Reduction Act. The law included almost $400 billion in clean energy spending — which President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to claw back.
“We’ve proven we don’t have to choose between protecting the environment and growing the economy, we’re doing both,” Biden said. “The powerful forces want to wield their unchecked influence to eliminate the steps we’ve taken to tackle the climate crisis, to serve their own interest for power and profit.”
