President Joe Biden’s tone was familiar in his final address to the nation, in which he painted a gloomy picture of America’s future in a short address.

The 82-year-old will sit behind his Resolute desk once again to address the nation on Wednesday, spending those 16 minutes focusing less on his administration’s accomplishments and more on what a second Trump administration could bring to America. I concentrated on thinking that there was. Surrounded by the vice president, his second son, the first lady, his son Hunter Biden, and other aides, the president warned Americans that an “oligarchy” was occurring and that ““Real danger” is coming to this country. (Related: Biden reportedly wants to double down on ‘threat to democracy’ campaign theme after Trump’s ‘dictator’ comment)

“I have no doubt that America is positioned for continued success. That’s why, in tonight’s farewell address, I want to alert this country to several things that cause great concern. ” Biden said. “This is a dangerous concert. It’s a dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a very wealthy few.”

“Their abuse of power, if left unchecked, has dangerous consequences. Today, an oligarchy with extreme wealth, power, and influence has taken shape in America, literally destroying the entire democracy, the fundamentals. We’re seeing the consequences of that across America, and we saw it more than 100 years ago, when the American people were robber kings. He confronted them and shattered their trust,” the president continued.

After warning of a dangerous “oligarchy,” the president went on to decry the “existential threat” of climate change, citing California’s devastating wildfires and North Carolina’s Hurricane Helen. Even though California has known for years about the potential for deadly wildfires, Democratic officials have cited mismanagement of the Los Angeles fires for not taking appropriate steps to prevent them. There wasn’t.

Biden claimed that “powerful forces” want to eliminate actions his administration has taken on the economy and environment “in the interest of power and profit.”

Days after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced he was ending his company’s third-party fact-checking program, Biden said he was “equally concerned about the potential rise of the tech-industrial complex.” I’m doing it,” he said.

“It could also pose a real danger to our country. Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation, enabling abuses of power, and press freedom is crumbling.” added. “Others are disappearing. Social media is abandoning fact-checking. The truth is being obscured by lies for power and profit.” (Related: Hunter Biden’s laptop story censored on Facebook gains support from Biden-Harris administration, House report says)

The president used the few minutes of his farewell address to reflect on his four years in office and to celebrate his victories. Biden supports gun control legislation, saying his administration has been able to reduce violent crime to its lowest level in 50 years. According to RealClearInvestigation, the FBI Uniform Crime Report (UCR) initially showed that violent crime decreased by just 2.1% from 2021 to 2022, but quietly revised the data to show that violent crime actually increased. I showed you what I’m doing.

Biden also defended his administration’s efforts to create about 17 million new jobs, adding that this is the most a single administration has been able to add. The president did not add that he inherited an economy and a country reeling from a global pandemic that has had devastating economic effects. (Related: “I left with less work than when I joined”: Biden criticizes Trump’s economy without mentioning the new coronavirus)

Biden went on to say that as a result of his work on the economy, millions of Americans have “the dignity of working.” The number of foreign-born workers employed in the United States increased by 637,000 to nearly 30.9 million as of June 2024, while the number of employed mainland-born Americans increased by 637,000 to nearly 30.9 million, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The number of people decreased by 299,000.

The president added that under his administration, NATO is stronger than ever and that “Ukraine remains free.” Russia’s first invasion of Ukraine began in 2014 when Biden was vice president, and the full-scale invasion began after Biden took office in 2022.

Four years ago, our country suffered the worst pandemic and economic crisis in 100 years.

But we came together as Americans, stronger, more prosperous, and more secure.

Tonight, I would like to reflect on our progress and bid farewell to the nation. pic.twitter.com/ds9nruBVHq

— President Biden (@POTUS) January 15, 2025

Biden took time to call for new restrictions on the Supreme Court and lawmakers before thanking the nation for the opportunity.

“We need to set an 18-year deadline. Term limits, deadlines, and duration for the strongest ethics and the strongest ethics reforms on the Supreme Court,” the president said. He added that MPs should be prohibited from trading stocks while in office. (Related article: Pelosi says she won’t block stock trading ban, undermining Supreme Court ethics rules)

Biden also did not hesitate to deliver a final blow to President-elect Donald Trump in his farewell address, but perhaps his final move is to ask the Supreme Court to overturn its decision on presidential immunity before passing the torch. I guess that’s what you asked for.

“In a democracy, there are new dangers in the concentration of power and wealth,” Biden said. “It erodes unity and common purpose. It breeds mistrust and division. Participation in our democracy feels exhausting and even disillusioning. People believe they have a fair chance. We have to stay involved in the process. I know it’s frustrating. A fair shot is what makes America American.”

Biden then gave a stern warning to the American people after shouting out the vice president, his family and the first lady.

“After several years of service, I offer you these words: I still stand by the ideals that this country stands for: a country where the strength of its institutions and the character of its people matter and must survive. I believe in that,” he said.

“Now it’s your turn to stand guard,” the 82-year-old concluded.