Biden urges Americans to ‘keep faith’, visiting South Carolina on last day as president

Biden delivered final farewell from state that holds special meaning after win in its 2020 Democratic primary set him up for US presidency

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Outgoing US President Joe Biden speaks during a Sunday service at the Royal Missionary Baptist Church in North Charleston, South Carolina on Sunday. Photo: AFP

Published: 4:02am, 20 Jan 2025

Joe Biden spent his final full day as US president Sunday in South Carolina, urging Americans to “keep the faith in a better day to come” and reflecting on the influence of both the civil rights movement and the state itself in his political trajectory.

On the eve of Monday’s inauguration of Republican president-elect Donald Trump, Biden delivered a final farewell from a state that holds special meaning after his commanding win in its 2020 Democratic primary set him up to achieve his life’s goal of being elected president of the United States.

Biden spoke to the congregation of Royal Missionary Baptist Church about why he entered public service – Martin Luther King Jnr and Robert F. Kennedy were political heroes, he said – and he thanked South Carolina for its support: “I owe you big.”

The day before the federal holiday honouring King, the slain civil rights leader, Biden struck a more hopeful tone for the future of the country than his televised farewell address on Wednesday, when he warned about an “oligarchy” of the ultra-wealthy taking root and a “tech-industrial complex” impeding the future of democracy.

“We know the struggle to redeeming the soul of this nation is difficult and ongoing,” Biden said on Sunday. “We must hold on to hope. We must stay engaged. We must always keep the faith in the better day to come.”

He added: “I’m not going anywhere” – and the congregation applauded.