President Joe Biden and his family are celebrating their final holiday before leaving the White House in St. Croix, one of the U.S. Virgin Islands. This marks their third consecutive New Year’s holiday at the location. In past years, the Bidens stayed at the residence of a wealthy donor. In 2023, Biden had expressed his desire to return, saying, “I want to come back next year.”
President remains mostly out of public view during trip
The president, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, and their family arrived on the island on Thursday, Dec. 26. Biden did not address reporters before his departure and is expected to maintain a low profile while on the Caribbean getaway. St. Croix, home to about 41,000 residents, has become a favored destination for the Bidens during the holiday season.
Final holiday as president
This trip marks Biden’s last holiday as president. In January, he is scheduled to travel to Rome, Italy, where he will meet with Pope Francis before officially concluding his term.
A busy December for the Biden administration
December proved to be an eventful month for Biden. Among his key actions, he granted clemency to over 1,500 individuals, including his son Hunter Biden and Black Mafia Family drug kingpin Terry “Southwest Tee” Flenory. Additionally, Biden commuted the sentences of 37 out of 40 federal death row inmates, converting their punishments to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
“These commutations are consistent with the moratorium my administration has imposed on federal executions in cases other than terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder,” Biden explained.
Focus on legislative achievements in final days
According to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, Biden is prioritizing solidifying key legislative achievements in his final days. These include the bipartisan infrastructure law, the CHIPS and Science Act, and measures to reduce prescription drug costs. “That’s our focus,” Jean-Pierre stated. “That’s what we’ve been doing. And we’re going to continue, certainly, to do that.”
