Mr. Biden is hours away from being sworn in as the 46th president of the United States, taking power at a time of tremendous upheaval and division.
Mr. Trump is the first president in more than 150 years to decline to attend his successor’s swearing.
The outgoing president exited the White House shortly after 8 a.m. and boarded Marine One for a brief flight to Joint Base Andrews; where he is spoke at a farewell ceremony before several hundred supporters and family.
“I wish the new administration great luck and great success,” Mr. Trump said, declining to name Mr. Biden and Harris by name.
“I think they’ll have great success. They have the foundation to do something really spectacular.”
The president left a note for Mr. Biden in the Oval Office, according to deputy White House press secretary Judd Deere.
It’s unclear what the note said, but it is a modern tradition for an outgoing president to leave a message for his successor.