By Kaitlan Collins, CNN

(CNN) — Before he leaves office for the final time, President Joe Biden plans to pen President-elect Donald Trump a letter, CNN is told.

Four years ago, when Trump famously skipped Biden’s inauguration after refusing to acknowledge his victory, Biden revealed that Trump had followed one presidential tradition by leaving him a letter on the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office. While its exact contents have never been revealed, Biden later described it as “very generous.”

At the time, a senior Trump aide described the letter to CNN as a “personal note” that prayed for the success of the country and the new administration to care for the country.

It is a modern tradition for outgoing presidents to write their successors a letter and leave it for them on the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office.

It may have been a surprising tradition for Trump to follow given he flouted so many others, but people around Trump in 2021 said it was because he was so fascinated by the letter that former President Barack Obama had left for him when he took office. As CNN previously reported, Trump was so touched by the move that he tried to call Obama immediately after reading it, but the outgoing president was flying to California, and the two never directly connected.

Trump and Biden will have several moments together Monday, including a tea and coffee reception with their spouses at the White House. The two will also ride together in the presidential limo to the Capitol for the inauguration. The two men did not ride together four years ago, when Trump famously skipped Biden’s swearing-in, but they will return to the same tradition that outgoing Obama afforded to Trump in 2017.

The moment could be awkward given Trump spent his rally speech Sunday trashing his predecessor’s legacy.

“Tomorrow at noon, the curtain closes on four long years of American decline, and we begin a brand-new day of American strength and prosperity, dignity and pride,” Trump said at the rally in Washington, DC. “We’re not going to take it anymore.”

This story has been updated with additional information.

The-CNN-Wire
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