The Time of President Biden’s Farewell Speech & How to Watch on NBC
The 46th president of the United States will address the nation one more time ahead of Trump's inauguration.
In the final days of his presidency, President Joe Biden will speak directly to Americans in his farewell address to the nation.
Biden will deliver his speech from the Oval Office in the West Wing of the White House, but how can you watch the president's remarks at home? All the details you need to tune in to Biden's farewell address this week are below.
When is President Biden’s farewell speech?
On Wednesday, January 15 at 8 p.m. ET, Biden will deliver a farewell address to the nation from the Oval Office, the White House announced in a statement.
Biden’s final formal speech as the 46th president of the United States takes place less than a week before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday, January 20 where he’ll be sworn in for his second term.
RELATED: Everyone Who Has Played Joe Biden on SNL
Where can I watch President Biden’s farewell speech?
NBC News will broadcast Biden’s farewell address to the nation on Wednesday, January 15 at 8 p.m. ET. Simply tune into your local NBC News station to watch the president’s speech live.
You can also stream Biden’s farewell speech live on YouTube via NBC News NOW.
RELATED: Maya Rudolph and Dana Carvey Were Kamala Harris and Joe Biden in SNL's Cold Open
What is a presidential farewell address?
Though not every president has given one, the tradition of delivering a farewell address to the nation dates back to the United States’ very first president, George Washington. Washington’s farewell address was shared with the nation in Philadelphia’s American Daily Advertiser on September 19, 1796 and was later printed in other papers across the nation. In his address, Washington announced his decision to not seek a third term in office. (An amendment on presidential term limits was added to the Constitution in 1951.)
Nowadays, presidents deliver this farewell address in a televised broadcast, reflecting on their time in office, the incoming administration, and the future of the nation. Trump’s farewell address as the 45th president was pre-recorded and delivered to the nation on January 19, 2021. In his speech, Trump said that he was “proud of what we have achieved together” and extended his “best wishes” to Biden’s incoming administration.
After two terms in office, President Barack Obama delivered his farewell address from his hometown in Chicago on January 10, 2017. Obama said it had “been the honor of my life to serve you” and promised to continue doing so as a citizen “for all my remaining days.”
Biden is expected to reflect on his long political career, from president to vice president to senator, and will speak about the future of the country, NBC News reported. Biden most recently addressed the nation from the Oval Office in July 2024 when he announced his decision to drop out of the presidential race.
