good morning. as we watch the south lawn of the white house and marine one ready to go. rotors not turning but engines are on. we are expecting the president of the united states to walk out. here is a special report. here's savannah guthrie and hoda kotb. >> morning, everybody. it's 8:00 a.m. in the east, 5:00 a.m. out west. we have breaking news out of washington this morning. take a look. the president, donald trump, about to depart the white house. you're looking at the south lawn of the white house. this will be his final time as president to board marine one, the president's helicopter, where he'll go to joint base andrews and taking a final flight in air force one to his home in florida. the president expected to walk out the doors any moment now. we'll keep our eye on this picture.

hoda, this is the first president in 150 years who will not be attending his successor's inauguration but, instead, will get out of town early in the morning. >> normally, what we have seen in past administrations, is this moment, what happened after the inauguration, after the handoff is complete. instead, president trump will be heading to florida in just a little bit. let's turn to chief white house correspondent peter alexander. peter, we usually know what president trump is thinking and feeling because he usually is tweeting about it. now, we don't have that. tell us what you're hearing at the white house. >> reporter: well, as we live in these live pictures right now on the south lawn, you can see that there is not a crowd assembled there. often when the president departs the white house, he'll have many of his supporters, even staffers to cheer him on. instead, the celebration of self will take place at joint base andrews this morning. the president, over the course of the last several days, is really pushing for a big, celebratory farewell to take place at andrews, including requests for a red carpet, a

color guard, a military band, and even perhaps a 21-gun salute. no indication of exactly what it'll look like, but we expect to hear from the president. notably, this will be the first time we have seen president trump, hoda and savannah, in more than a week. he has effectively been secluded inside the white house for the last week plus. overnight, frankly, just before 1:00 in the morning, a matter of hours ago, the president delivering one of his final acts as president of the united states, the pardons and commutations. 140 or so total, including one to his former chief strategist steve bannon. notably, the president did not pardon any members of his family or pardon himself, which is something we had been watching. we were told that the president had been warned by advisers against a self-pardon, for among other reasons, the appearance of guilt. the idea that they communicated to him that it wouldn't protect him against any potential cases to take place in state courts. also, frankly, they weren't sure

that it would hold up in court. so, again, a president who arrived here at the white house defiant and unapologetic, prepares to leave after four turbulent years. a lot of folks asked how his term would end. we now know the answer. in the middle of a once in a century pandemic. the president becoming the first president ever impeached twice, with a really divided nation. >> peter, thanks. >> the helicopter, marine one, is headed to joint base andrews, where air force one is in position, ready to take the president down to florida, mar-a-lago, which will be his home for the foreseeable future. kelly, tell us the scene that you are observing there. what are the logistics now? until just a few minutes after noon today, president trump is president of the united states. >> reporter: and he is harnessing all the trappings of his office for the final hours. here we are at joint base andrews.

it is a mix of pomp and ceremony of the presidency with a rally atmosphere. if you hear that music behind me, that is part of the playlist that we have come to know for years of trump rallies. it's an eclectic mix of music, always much louder than it needs to be. here, the president will be received by some of his frepds friends, supporters, invited guests who had to be cleared onto a military base. it is a smaller group than normal. you'll have the large version of air force one with tail number 29000 taking donald trump to florida. with him will be a military aide with the nuclear codes. he will have all of that power at his disposal until he passes that power, about noontime, when joe biden takes the oath. part of the timing of the day, as we understand it, is president trump wanted to fly home while it is still air force one. former presidents, it is known

as special air mission and not air force one, reserved only for the president. the remainder of his time, the flight on marine one coming to joint base andrews, the couple hours in the air heading to south florida, and one more marine one getting him to the mar-a-lago landing pad, which palm beach county made available to him, permitting that just for his time in office. that's supposed to be dug up and removed from the mar-a-lago property after his time. we've already heard a military band rehearsing. i can tell you, it's cold and windy here. we even had snow in the skies before the sun came up. so that will be a challenge for those on the horn section for the "hail to the chief," that we heard them rehearsing. we expect the president to make thank yous and a reflection on his time in office. as we've been pointing out, this is an exit unlike any of his predecessors in the modern era.

bookends started with the escalator ride when he launched his candidacy, and he'll leave washington on air force one. leaving washington and leaving behind his shadow, of course, as the senate impeachment trial is still to come, and the unknowns of what is a private citizen donald trump going to be like, in terms of his attempts to have a voice in modern politics and preparing for whatever may come next. there has been talk, will he try to run again, will he try to be a force in conserative politics? those are question marks. this afternoon, he'll be a private citizen. secret service detail, office at his disposal. what former presidents say they miss both, marine one, air force one. that will be coming to an end. savannah, hoda? >> kelly o'donnell, thank you. there is a movement afoot. we continue to watch the white house south lawn, where the president is expected to depart any moment now with the first lady, as they start their

journey home to florida. we're told that the trump family members, the children, don junior, tiffany, ivanka, all assembled at andrews air force base, awaiting this celebration he's planned for his departure. let's bring in chuck todd. white house correspondent -- excuse me. political director. chuck, i was going old school, you and i used to be white house correspondents. >> obama and biden, it's all back. everything old is new again. >> once a white house correspondent, always a white house correspondent. chuck, let me call on your many years of expertise here. you and i have watched many inaugurations together. >> yeah. >> this one is different. we are not going to see all those kind of grace notes between an outgoing administration and an incoming administration. the shaking of hands on the north portico steps. we won't see the changing of the guard. >> no, we won't. you know, it's interesting, savannah, two months ago, when we called the election for joe

biden, in that moment, we were talking about, joe biden won, but donald trump proved to be more resilient than anyone thought. he lost the presidency, but he leaves with a strong political movement. that would have been the potential lead today for him. instead, if you think of what he did to his own self, in some ways, humiliating himself the last couple months with desperate attempts to prove the election he didn't win, i am flabbergasted as how few people are at the white house right now, seeing him off. nobody is interested. he really is leaving office kind of a pariah in his own party. sure, there are rank and file people that are going to be with him, and we'll see how long they stick by him. it's almost as if washington can't wait for him to leave. the lack of people. had he handled himself differently today, there would have been throngs of people at

that white house right now. he maybe has a going away celebration this afternoon that was kind of like bill clinton's in 2001, where the entire cabinet shows up. mike pence is there. he could have walked away sort of the, you know, leader of the republican party that just happened to lose an election. he literally blew himself up, and now we're watching him, essentially, in a very -- for him, there's no doubt in my mind, he can't stand how all of this looks right now. he knows he is leaving a pariah, and nobody wants to be seen with him. that is not something that sits well with donald trump, the individual. >> let's pick up that piece of the conversation and go over to hallie jackson. the question of where the republican party stands right now, it's a fascinating one. it is going to come to a head pretty soon in congress in the senate, where an impeachment trial is about to be held, as well. talk about, first of all, vice president mike pence, who had been the staunchest and most

loyal to the very end with president trump, until the capitol insurrection, where his own life was threatened. you see the distance, and it is notable today, hallie, that vice president pence is going to attend the inauguration and not president trump's good-bye party at andrews air force base, joint base andrews. talk about where the republican party is and where it goes from here. >> reporter: that was the thread i was thinking about, about vice president pence. typicall in y, the other moment in the four years i've been covering president donald trump, you'd see the vice president at his side. he is not going to be. in fact, mike pence is going to be conducting what we often think of as the trappings of the presidency, as it relates to what you described as the changing of the guard, as the hand-off there. it is the vice president who will be attending the inauguration. it is the vice president who has been stepping into that role in the absence, frankly, of president trump's desire to do that. so that is one of the things we're going to be watching today. those dynamics and how it plays out. the relationship between those two leaders, savannah, between the president and vice

president, according to my sources, is broken. it is not like it was. it is not ever going to be like it was again, as the vice president departs the white house and staffers, as well. as we look at the south lawn here, and just to give folks a perspective, we have seen president trump do this walk about a billion times throughout the course of his presidency, from a different vantage point. this is often where he stops and talks to reporters before getting on marine one. you hear the chopper noise in the background. it is unlikely he'll stop and talk today. he might. you can see the people on the left side of your screen. those are members of the pool, other reporters waiting to hear from the president. you look ahead at what's next. he will be in mar-a-lago, but this impeachment trial you referenced will be happening in the senate. this is going to be a test for many republicans. it'll take 17 republicans to basically cross the aisle and vote with democrats to convict president trump. mitch mcconnell, the senate leader, the senate republican leader, has all but given permission for republicans to do that, by saying he, himself, and publicly saying in ways that

have been communicated to the media, that he is open, one way or the other. he is not ruling out a potential conviction. we're not just talking about people like, you know, senator mitt romney, right, senator susan collins, people who have been considered in kind of the never trump camp or trump spectacle camp, that have often come out and expressed their concern or disappointment with the president. we're talking about the potential for many more republicans, perhaps 10, 15 republicans to come out, if, in fact, mitch mcconnell is the one who is able to open the door for that once this trial begins. the state of the republican party, that's the short-term piece of it, right? you look at the medium and longer term piece. there is a reckoning that's already happening, about how this party either comes together or doesn't, in the post trump era, which is beginning in just about four hours from now. you have to remember, while president trump has dismayed, disappointed, infuriated some conservatives here in washington, and many republicans around the country, particularly with the way he incited that insurrection at the capitol just a couple weeks ago, he still

does have a hard core base of loyal supporters. there will be, and there are right now, some republicans who are hoping to tap into that. you look tat actions of, for example, senator josh hawley. the things he has done and previewed he will do as it relates to the impeachment trial. someone looking to take the mantle of the trump presidency. as we see the president walk out. >> let's watch the pictures. the president, first lady, in their final steps outside the white house residence, walking over to the assembled. we may perhaps hear from him, but that will be something we'll have to play back. we don't have a live picture of that. i bring peter alexander into the conversation. i know you're watching with me. you as white house correspondent have seen many, many of these departures from the south lawn.

even though it's somewhat routine, it usually does draw a crowd. we don't see that huge crowd of staff today. let's just take a moment and watch these final moments of president trump and first lady melania trump, as they board marine one, headed home to florida. we know what the president said to the crowd. he said, "it has been a great honor and an amazing four years." those were his words a moment ago to the crowd. we do have a camera there, and we'll turn the tape around as soon as we can get it. right now, we will watch marine one as it departs. it is a short ride to joint base andrews, just outside of washington. that's where air force one is pre-positioned, ready to take the president and the first lady to mar-a-lago, where the

president will live for the foreseeable future. there it is, a shot of air force one. the final time that the president will ride in air force one in his four-year term. >> at the air base, we do see some well-wishers and fans. we know vice president pence will not be there. he said he could not do the inauguration as well as this farewell event. it'll be interesting to see who is there when president trump arrives. again, he is president until noon today. it is not as if this moment marks the end of anything. it is after the inauguration at noontime that president trump will no longer be president of the united states. >> yeah. as you mentioned, this is a scene we have seen many times before, but not at this moment. not in the morning. here's some of the tape playback of the president giving that final wave. that just into our newsroom. we're showing the final wave from a different vantage point. the picture on your left is a live picture, where marine one is about to depart. normally, this all would take

place after the inauguration, after a shaking of hands, after a tea, after a ceremonial walk. none of that is happening today. the president has chosen to leave house early, head to the celebration at joint base andrews, then head off to florida. peter, let me bring you into this, because, you know, these final days at the white house, i know, have been extraordinary, they always are, but there has been a real emptying out. we've seen resignations of cabinet secretaries, a marine one rotors up here. it's a different feel. >> reporter: that's right. i was in the west wing yesterday, as members of the president's staff were clearing out. some leaving notes behind for those that would succeed them. notably, what we're looking at right now is something that would happen on the east front of the capitol. this is something that would happen after the inauguration of a new president. this president, the first in 152 years, the first living

president in 152 years not to participate in that peaceful transfer of power at the capitol. the inauguration procession. instead, the peaceful transfer of power this day, of course, is being guaranteed, secured by 25,000 national guard troops who have secured just a massive perimeter around washington. this is a stunning shot to see. a shot that we only have on extraordinary days like this. a live picture of the president of the united states boarding marine one for a short trip to joint base andrews. the president, who has been photographed so many times, spoken to the cameras so many times, from that position where the red carpet exits the south portico at the white house, doing it for the final time on this day. as we've been discussing, this president, who had been eyeing 2024 with conversations early on that it might be on this day that he announced a 2024 presidential bid, in some way, to try to overshadow joe biden's victory has, in many ways, been

diminished by the events of the last several weeks. those capitol riots, the president's incitement of many of his supporters to head there. as you watch marine one pick up. >> i'm struck because we have this wide vantage point of the white house and the whole complex. if you look at the top left of your screen, if you were to see the street right across is blair house. blair house is where the president-elect, joe biden, spent the evening, and is right now. that is as close as the outgoing president and the incoming president will come today. this picture you see right there. the outgoing president trump aboard marine one. it's taking off, about to lift up over the white house. will pass over blair house where the incoming president waits to take the oath of office after noon today. >> reporter: for clarity, early today, we heard from members of joe biden's team that there has been no direct contact between president trump and president-elect biden.

of course, none, as you note, will happen face-to-face. there has been no call of any kind, in spite, as we were told, allies and advisers of the president urging him to do just that. >> how long is this ride, savannah? >> just a few minutes, 5, 10 minutes. joint base andrews is just a few minutes outside of washington. that's the quickest way to get there. >> yeah. >> marine one. it also affords -- that ride affords an incredible and beautiful view of the nation's capitol and all its monuments. the united states capitol, the lincoln memorial, the jefferson, the white house, the washington monument. he is flying over a city in lockdown, whose mall is closed. spectators, other than a handful, not allowed because of the security concerns and the attempted insurrection of two weeks ago. so you can imagine that's a beautiful shot. what a view, a view that really only a president gets.

>> i'm sure a lot of people are wondering, what are trump's final words going to be as president of the united states? when he gets there, he will make some brief remarks. we'll be curious to see what he says. kelly o'donnell is actually there. kelly, we were talking about some of the people who will not be in attendance. vice president pence, mitch mcconnell, and the rest. have you seen some others in attendance we may know the names of? >> reporter: certainly, a few of the staffers who have been a part of our white house experience, not necessarily well-known to the public. one of them that may be known to the audience, the spokesperson for president white house, hogan gibley. they have filled in behind here at joint base andrews. the invitation extends to the orbit of the president. it allowed some children, family members, and for people who have been allies of the president.

this is an important way to say good-bye. now, the ride from marine one is about ten minutes. notably, today, as you can see, there is a decoy. there's always three of these marine choppers. only one is known as marine one. that's, of course, for security. it is about a ten-minute flight to get to joint base andrews. i would not be at all surprised if president trump asked for the touring version, where he could see some of the monuments and sites. occasionally, that's done by presidents. notably, today, he would be able to see the national mall that has been filled in with flags for the biden/harris inauguration. a stunning display. something that will clearly make president trump aware that his time in washington is ending. this is a day of c celebration r his successor. here at joint base andrews, we do expect some thank yous. now, the fact the vice president is not attending today, and it is fair to say he is going to

the inaugural, and he has time commitments there, but he still possesses the ability to take a motorcade to travel quickly. it certainly seems to be more than just logistics that vice president pence will not be here today. he will be the representative of this administration to the next administration and will participate in those ceremonial, important markers today. there will be that connection. other than that, we expect this to be a very prompt, centric experience, with the president talking about his time in office, feeling the support of those who gathered here, and saying good-bye. savannah, hoda? >> kelly, we continue to watch marine one. there's a little bit of a disconnect there. you see the majesty of that image, then we hear the music that's playing at the rally. a little billy jean.

making for a sharp perspective. andrea mitchell, you've coverev a lot of inaugurations. we'll see a different one for many reasons. the president has chosen not to attend, but we're also in the midst of a pandemic. where we would have seen tens of thousands, perhaps, on the mall, with only about 1,000 tickets handed out because of the social distancing and health requirements. >> reporter: absolutely. it occurs to me that that is the closest flying over that this outgouoing president is going t get, not only to those flags, which, of course, represent the people that cannot be there on the mall, and he came into the white house exaggerating the numbers of people there for his inauguration, the crowd, most no notably, but the closest he'll be to the lights on the reflecting pond, for the first memorial this nation had yesterday evening at sunset. it was remarkable for the more than 400,000 people who have died. thinking also of covid and the deep cleaning that has been

going on in the white house. now, the extraordinary activity inside that white house. usually, there is very little time because the incoming president, the president-elect and new first lady are coming into the white house for that ceremonial coffee. there are other people there being greeted. there's the exchange of gifts. we've seen that every time in modern history. this time, that's not happening. there's a little bit more time for the white house staff, the extraordinary staff reporting to the chief usher. the chief usher is, for now, staying. interestingly, he came -- he was recruited from the trump hotel here in washington. he was a trump employee. the first time a political appointee was brought into the usher's office. he was there the last four year s. he is staying for now, but we don't know how long. it is a decision for the new first family. now, it is a mad house of taking down pictures, putting up new pictures, cleaning because of covid, most notably, but also

moving in the biden furniture, which has, some of it, at least from wilmington, has been in storage. the moving vans went out from wilmington and have been in a storage facility in nearby maryland, across the d.c. border. all of that being brought in. they do a remarkable job. what we don't know yet is whether, in the oval office, the resolute desk, whether there is a note from donald trump to joe biden. that has been traditional. we've seen those notes. we've seen through the eyes of pete souza, most notably, leaving the obama white house, all the extraordinary pictures of those encounters. that is not happening today. it'll be completely recreated by the time the bidens come in. >> pete souza was a white house photographer under the biden administration. it is astonishing to think about it. it's it is the people's house.

anyone there is a temporary occupant. but the white house staff doesn't change with the administration. generally, they work through multiple administrations. some have been there decades. can you imagine? today, just think about it for a moment, there you're looking at the white house. last night, donald trump spent the night there. tonight, joe biden and dr. jill biden will spend the night there. in between is this extraordinary moment in american democracy, where there is a peaceful transfer of power. easy to take it for granted, but it is something to underscore this year. >> there are many things not right about this moment, as people talk about, but we have the peaceful transfer of power. >> we mentioned the president made brief remarks before he departed and got on the helicopter. we got them now and can play them back for you. we want to roll that tape.

>> mr. president? >> it's been a great honor, the honor of a lifetime. the greatest people in the world. the greatest home in the world to call a home. in four years, we've accomplished a lot. we love you, american people. again, it has been something very special. i just want to say good-bye. hopefully, it is not a long-term good-bye. we'll see each other again. thank you, all, very much. >> mr. president? do you have any regrets about your presidency? mr. president? >> so the president said his good-bye, but he hopes it is not a long-term good-bye. i think we've got a little preview of what we might hear in a few moments. he has longer remarks prepared for his ceremony. now, we're seeing marine one as it closes in on joint base andrews. that's where the president's farewell ceremony will take place in a few moments. he's got his family members there. we don't have a head count, but

there were invitations for people who wanted to come and bid farewell to the president. here he is, arrarriving. >> kristen welker, what'd you make of the remarks? he said it was a good-bye but not a long-term good-bye. >> reporter: i anticipate we will hear him echo that when he does make remarks. it's a sign that he is not ruling out another run for the presidency. i want to pick up on one of the key issues you have been talking about. this remarkable split screen. the fact that president trump is not going to be attending joe biden's inauguration, and how president-elect biden attempts to bridge that gap. his biggest challenge is trying to unify the country. i'm told in his inaugural address, he's going to call for unity and healing this country. how does he actually put that to work? his advisers say he is going to try to reach across the aisle. he is going to start with a

bipartisan trip to church. he, personally, invited top republicans to attend that church service with him. he's hoping that that will start by setting the tone with a show of solidarity. then he is going to get down to work with a series of 15 executive orders before he's sworn into office. it gets more complicated, when he tries passing big pieces of legislation, like a stimulus package, for example. his goal is to try to reach across the aisle. he is facing crises not seen in generations. of course, covid at the top of that list. as we watch this remarkable split-screen, president-elect biden set to leave blair house. president trump arriving at joint base andrews. it underscores everything that is at stake. savannah and hoda? >> we will watch marine one taxi to its position. the president and first lady will depart.

barren trump, we understand, is already on air force one, in position, and ready for the flight back to florida. the president expected to address the crowd, including his adult children, chief of staff mark meadows, and several top advisers to the president this morning. >> kelly o'donnell, it is hard for us to tell from our perspective, but how many people are there awaiting the president? >> reporter: i would say several hundred people. there was a wave of them running to get into position. many wanted to be up close, at the front of the line, to see the president as close as possible. several hundred are here. president trump loves to measure his popularity based in crowds. today is not the day for that. you had to go through extra steps to get access to this military base. certainly, in the next few minutes, you'll hear the sound of the marine one chopper lowering. i've been competing all morning with this trump rally soundtrack, which clearly did

not take into account sort of the solemnity of the day. these are the rock n roll tunes that have been a part of rally life for donald trump. i think we'll have more patriotic music when the military band plays. as you can see, his adult children are here. some friends are here. notably, it is not the send-off that lots of elected officials and so far have. this may be more about donors and friends than those who have been a part of the president's public life. certainly, his adult children have been a big part of this time, with the unusual nature of having two of them, his daughter and son-in-law, as advisers in the white house. something that will not be continuing in the biden era. it's highly unusual, and something we talked about over the years. of course, his younger daughter, tiffany, is joined by her new fiance, having just gotten engaged at the white house earlier. each of the adult children have sort of done their own social

media farewells to this time in their lives, posting lots of photos of their experiences. >> kelly, just to jump in because i'm not sure you can see it, but we have a split screen going where we can see some of the trump family members. jared kushner and ivanka trump, both who the president made top advisers at the white house, with one of their children. eric trump and his wife. that's who has the front row seat. now, we saw the stairs open. we will await the president's final emergence from marine one as president of the united states. ♪ street lights, people living just to find emotion ♪ >> reporter: savannah, he may be saying farewell to this crew. it's been a big part of his life over these years, as well. typically, the agents exit first, and then the president. so it might be another moment or two here. marine one is one of the most unique experiences a president

can enjoy. life for a former president has many trappings, but it does not have marine one. ♪ just one more time some will win ♪ >> i want to bring hallie jackson into the conversation. hallie, it's not just cosmetics, i think. it is interesting that kelly mentions the music we're hearing. it is that campaign feel. >> reporter: that's right. >> those who covered the campaign, we recognize this playlist. >> reporter: it's seared into our heads, savannah. you're right. >> that sets the tone for the president, his state of mind. i think we got a hint of that, too, with his final words from the white house south lawn, where he said it is a good-bye, but maybe not a long-term good-bye. many have wondered if this final day in his presidency, maybe the first day of a new campaign. do you expect to hear words like that from the president today? >> reporter: an illusion to that, savannah, certainly, and

it is not insignificant, as we watch the president now depart marine one for the last time as president of the united states. with first lady melania trump behind him. it is not insignificant that he has now eluded to the idea that it is not a long-term good-bye to the white house. the campaign rally music is no surprise. it is no secret. it is a signal that this is still a president who is intent on campaigning. he will continue, by all accounts, to hold rallies. he will continue to work his base, if you will. look what his political future holds. there are those around the president, savannah, who questioned whether he will actually run or just talk about running. let's listen in here, in case the president makes remarks before stepping up to the mic. >> and the other big question, of course, hallie, is what happens in this impeachment trial, if he were to be convicted. whether he will try to hold office in the future. there's the 21-gun salute.

let's listen. ♪♪ >> thank you. >> we love you! >> thank you very much. and we love you. i can tell you that from the bottom of my heart. this has been an incredible four years. we've accomplished so much together. i want to thank all of my family and my friends and my staff and so many other people for being here. i want to thank you for your effort, your hard work. people have no idea how hard

this family worked. they worked for you. they could have had a much easier life, but they just did a fantastic job. i just want to thank all of you, every one. i want to thank mark meadows, who is here, some place. right there. i want to thank mark. but it's been something very special. we've accomplished a lot. our first lady has been a woman of great grace and beauty and dignity. >> melania! >> so popular with the people. so popular with the people. in fact, honey, would you like to say a few words? >> being your first lady was my greatest honor. thank you for your love and your support. you will be in my thoughts and prayers. god bless you all. god bless your families. god bless this beautiful nation.

thank you. >> what else has to be said, right? what we've done -- >> great job, melania! >> it's true, honey. great job. what has been done is amazing by any standard. we rebuilt the united states military. we created a new force called space force. that in itself would be a major achievement for a regular administration. we were not a regular administration. we took care of the vets. 91% approval rating. they've never had that before. the vets have given us, the v.a., the vets have given us an approval rating like has never been before. we took care of our vets and our beautiful vets. they were very badly treated before we came along. as you know, we get them great service, and we pick up the bill. they can go out, and they can see a doctor itheyf ave to

wait long periods of time. we got it so that we can, sadly, get rid of people who don't treat our vets properly. we didn't have any of those rights before when i came on. our vets are happy. our people are happy. our military is thrilled. we also got tax cuts, the largest tax cut and reform in the history of our country, by far. >> i hope they don't raise your taxes. but if they do, i told you so. if you look at the regulations, which i consider the regulation cuts to be even more important, it is why we've has such good job numbers. the job numbers have been absolutely incredible. when we started, had we not been hit by the pandemic, we would have had numbers that would never have been seen. already, our numbers are the best ever. if you look at what happened until february a year ago, our

numbers were at a level that nobody had ever sewn before. even now, we really built it twice. we got hit, nobody blames us for that. the whole world got hit, and then we built it again. now, the stock market is actually substantially higher than it was at its higher point prior to the pandemic. so it's really, you could say, we built it twice. you're going to see incredible numbers start coming in, if everything is sort of left alone. careful. very complex, be careful. you're going to see some incredible things happening. remember us when you see these things happening, if you would. because i'm looking at elements of our country that are set to be a rocket ship up. we have a greatest country in the world. we have the greatest economy in the world.

as bad as the pandemic was, we were hit so hard, just like the entire world was hit so hard. places that thought they got away with it, didn't get away with it. they're suffering right now. we did something that is really considered a medical miracle. they're calling it a miracle. that was the vaccine. we got the vaccine developed in nine months instead of nine years or five years or ten years or a long time. it was supposed to take a long time, many, many years to develop a vaccine. we have two out. we have another one coming almost immediately. it really is a great achievement. you should start seeing really good numbers the next few months. i think you're going to see those numbers really skyrocket downward. i can only say this, we have worked hard. we have left it all as the athletes would say, we've left it all on the field.

we don't have to -- we don't have to come and say, say in a month, when we're sitting in florida, we're not going to be looking at each other and saying, "you know, if we only worked a little harder." you can't work harder. we had a lot of obstacles, and we went through obstacles. we just got 75 million votes, and that's a record in the history of -- in the history of sitting presidents. that's an all-time record by a lot, many millions, in the record of sitting presidents. it's been really an honor. one of the things we're very, very proud of is the selection of almost 300 federal judges and three great supreme court justices. that's a very big number. that's a record-setting number. so we've done a lot. there's still things to do. the first thing we have to do is

pay our respects and our love to the incredible people and families who suffered so gravely from the china virus. it's a horrible thing that was put into the world. we all know where it came from, but it is a horrible, horrible thing. so be very careful. be very, very careful. but we want to pay great love, great love to all of the people that have suffered, including families who have suffered so gravely. so with that, i just want to say you are amazing people. this is a great, great country. it is my greatest honor and privilege to have been your president. [ applause ]

>> usa, usa, usa, usa! >> thank you, trump. thank you, trump. thank you, trump. thank you, trump. thank you, trump. thank you, trump. thank you, trump. >> i will always fight for you. i will be watching. i will be listening. i will tell you that the future of this country has never been better. i wish the new administration great luck and great success. i think they'll have great success. they have the foundation to do something really spectacular. again, we put it in a position like it's never been before, despite the worst plague to hit since, i guess you'd say, 1917, over 100 years ago.

despite that, the things we've done have been incredible. i couldn't have done them without you. bye. we love you. we'll be back in some form. again, i want to just thank our vice president, mike pence, and karen. i want to thank congress, because we really worked well with congress, at least certain elements of congress. but we really did. we've gotten so much done that nobody thought would be possible. i do want to thank congress. i want to thank all of the great people of washington, d.c., all of the people that we worked with to put this miracle together. so have a good life. we will see you soon. thank you. thank you very much. thank you very much. >> president trump in his final

remarks to the nation, to some supporters who were gathered at joint base andrews, saying, "have a nice life" and he will be back in some form. he did wish success to the new administration. that is the first time we've heard words like that. he went through the accomplishments of his administration. he did thank vice president mike pence. hoda, we were given remarks that the president was supposed to read, a speech. one of his staffers sent these to me. none of them got read today. chuck, president trump throwing out the script, just like he came in. he's leaving in the exact same way. >> you know, though, for him, that was, you know, what i'd call it, subdued is probably not quite the right word. i wouldn't use melancholy. there was an odd acceptance to the moment, that we heard from him in a way we hadn't for the last two months.

i'm just sorry, i'm "ymca," really? i'm sorry. i'm struck by the -- as kelly, i thought, put it well, the music doesn't match the solemnity of the moment. it's probably the understatement that has been said on our air. i will say this, i think the most fascinating theme of his remarks was he essentially wants to say, i have a feeling the economy is going to get better. i have a feeling vaccines are coming. i want the credit. you know? we probably did get a preview of when we hear from the soon-to-be former president in the next six months, if there are good things happening under a president biden's watch, he is going to want to take a lot of credit. obviously, anything bad, i'm sure he will try to say that he had nothing to do with that. in that sense, it was almost sort of a normal way for a president to leave. trying to say, hey, i've handed you something that you should be able to build on. look, i go through this entire

morning and wonder, imagine, had president trump acted with some humility for the last two months, what this moment, what all of these moments might have looked like today. >> yeah. you talk about the music, chuck. that's something we've been talking about. but it is true, he did say he'd be back. you did mention that these are songs that he plays for his campaign rallies. you know, this may be just his way of getting started again. >> he also said he'd be watching and listening. that we can be sure of. hallie, he'll be watching and listening without his megaphone that propelled him into office. at least in his own estimation. twitter, facebook, instagram, social media, a lot of people wondering if the president had plans to get into the media business. whether he had plans to have his message heard in some new form. >> reporter: that's been some of the speculation. does a president, who has used the force of, specifically, conservative media to amplify his message, create his own kind of platform? it is also really expensive.

this is a big financial ask. so there are some questions, i think, from folks i talked to in our reporting on whether that could actually happen. it is something in the air, as president trump claps along to the sounds of the "ymca" there, and makes his last wave before boarding what is still air force one. the last time as president. he'll step off in palm beach, at his mar-a-lago estate. you referenced, you and hoda, how the president previewed he hopes to be back. i'm struck, when we look at the shot of the president's family members, there are multiple people there with the last name trump who may end up on the political stage ahead of 2024. there have been speculation of ivanka trump, donald trump jr., the president's son, who has been a surrogate the last couple years for his father and built his own following in the conservative base. lara trump, as well, eric's wife.

>> i want to make note of the split screen now. sorry, hallie. it is a split screen both on your television and also in history. now, as we wait for the air force one steps to rise up, we are now watching, and just saw a few in a moments ago emerging from blair house, vice president biden, president-elect biden, vice president-elect harris, departing to begin their day of ceremony. president trump leaving the stage. wasting no time, within a matter of seconds, we now will begin to see the new president. there it is, moments ago. now, you can see the shot. dr. jill biden, the incoming first lady, and president-elect joe biden, as they depart blair house, which, of course s right across the street from the white house. >> yeah. they're going to a church service. they have invited members of both parties to go along with them. they've invited nancy pelosi, chuck schumer, mitch mcconnell, and others.

i think it's just -- >> and kevin mccarthy, a republican who has been a close ally, all of whom said yes. >> yes. >> accepted the invitation. >> clearly making a statement right out of the gate, that we are in this together. it'll be interesting to see how that plays out. >> peter, this is going to be one of the storylines we follow in the new administration. vice president biden, president-elect biden, is somebody who is a creature of washington. spent decades in the senate. he's someone who has been a believer in making deals, working across party lines, often talks about your political will he be able, will he find common cause with republicans, or is that a bygone era? seems to be a story line but also one of the tensions. >> reporter: savannah, you're exactly right. fundamentally, it is a challenge that president-elect biden will face when he is sworn in, taken

the oath of office in a matter of hours today. i'm struck by this moment, the incoming first lady, the incoming president joe biden, waiting respectfully for president trump to finish his remarks before physically entering the screen. we have a dramatic split screen here outside the white house. moments ago, we saw marine one rise above the residence. a football field away, you could see the bidens. short time ago, departing, as well. you talk about the themes of unity. he is trying to reinforce the themes, president-elect biden is. not just in the inaugural address he'll deliver today, where his advisers and aides say it is not going to be about donald trump, it's not going to be about joe biden, it is going to be about the american people. those close to joe biden tell me that he, in effect, is the perfect president for this moment. a man who, through the course of his life, has experienced so many personal traumas. the loss of one of his children and his wife so many years ago.

the loss of his son, beau, more recently. now, he is in a position to help america grieve and to heal in its own time of trauma, with these competing crises, the pandemic, the worst in a century, the economic collapse, as well. the challenges surrounding racial injustice and so many other issues that americans are dealing with right now. joe biden has made clear that, from this moment that he is sworn in as president, he is going to get to work. we will see him parade past the white house. not all the pomp and pageantry you're used to, but much more focused on the policy today. with a press briefing even scheduled to take place, we believe, this evening here at the white house, as they focus on some of the crucial issues. among them, immigration, trying to roll back some of the policies of the trump administration. among those topics, immigration and, of course, resources toward covid. savannah and hoda? >> peter, let's dip back over to joint base andrews, where we

await air force one's departure. kelly o'donnell has information of the tradition of the outgoing president leaving a note for the incoming president. what do you know, kelly? >> reporter: white house officials sense the president did leave a note for joe biden, his successor. this is one of the traditions that does bind one president to the next. so for president trump, who has broken most norms and disregarded most traditions, this one is notable. i remember very vividly, you may as well, savannah, that president trump was very taken by the fact barack obama had left him a note, almost as if he didn't realize the tradition existed. a handwritten note left on the resolute desk. president trump showed that in his early days, talked about it the first day or so, and he has carried on that tradition knot -- to the 46th president. >> kelly o'donnell, thank you so much. let's reset the stage and show you the various shots we have. here is the biden family, who will be attending church this morning.

that is a tradition. st. matthew, cathedral of st. matthew the apostle is not the traditional church most go to, known as the church of the presidents, across the street. this is our second catholic president. jfk being the first. this president will be the second. he has invited the republican and democrat leaders of the house and the senate, who have accepted that invitation. >> between this moment and the moment he gets sworn in, a lot is going to be happening, too. he'll do the church service with this group, and then? >> then starts the procession toward the inauguration. our constitution calls for it to happen after noon on january 20th. here we are. we're just a matter of three hours from now, when the transfer of power takes place. let's bring andrea mitchell into this. andrea, i mentioned this is something of a break with tradition, in terms of the choice of churches.

why did president-elect biden choose this church? >> reporter: well, he is a deeply religious catholic. it is an important part of his life. he goes to mass all the time. daily mass, as far as we can tell, from pool movements. he's going to st. matthews, interestingly, which is the church where jfk, the only other catholic president, went but not on inauguration day. it was holy trinity, a short walk from his home in georgetown at the time. but this is where jfk's funeral was held. all the pictures was on the steps of st. matthews that we remember. little john john in his short, blue coat, a saluting. all of those incredible images. jackie kennedy, of course. the horse-drawn carriage. that is st. matthews. st. john's, the episcopal church, is across the street

from blair house, which is run by the state department. that is the guest house, the official guest house. recently redecorated the last couple of years. that's where the bidens did stay stay. of course, they lived in wilmington, but he had a house in washington for years, as well, when he was in the senate. of course, they lived at the naval observatory for the four years of the obama administration. st. matthews is the church, the catholic church, where he has invited mitch mcconnell, chuck schumer. it'll be the first bipartisan moment, to signal the unity of his administration. it is not right across the street from the white house, where we've seen the walk in the past. that is going to be a notable difference. you're going to see a lot of faith and religion in his life, because it's been his life all along. >> here, we see it's a tale of two presidents. one incoming and one outgoing in air force one with donald trump,

melania trump, the trump children aboard, headed to mar-a-lago, florida. taxiing now on the runway. we'll see it take off. we await vice president biden and his family and the congressional leaders who are going to attend church at st. matthews, this catholic parish, near the white house. as mentioned, not the traditional church of the presidents, which is where they attend on inauguration day. they sign the guest book at blair house when they leave. he'll have signed his name, but this will be the last time he signs it without president before it. >> wow. that's interesting. peter alexander, as they fly to mar-a-lago on air force one, donald trump is technically president for the next several hours. like, what does that even mean? so he is conducting -- he's still able to conduct business from there if he wants to over the next few hours? >> reporter: well, that's exactly right. he has the trappings of the presidency.

of course, aboard air force one, it loses that name, obviously, after his term expires right now, but for the course of the next several hours, until the oath of office is taken by joe biden today, president trump remains the president. that's why they refer to this as a peaceful transfer of power and why it is a crucial process, obviously. when national security officials say america is at its most vulnerable, why it is so critical this communication, that this cooperation exists between the outgoing president and his administration and the incoming president and his administration, as well. as we prepare to watch president trump take off for the last time aboard air force one, just a little more than two hours with press, as there would be. the travel pool, as we describe it, in the back of the plane with him, in case he were to come back and to greet the reporters that he's sparred with on and off over the course of the last several years. when he arrives there, and when the time ticks away in his term, he loses the massive megaphone.

not having the bullhorn of twitter. yesterday, for me personally in the west wing, saying good-bye to many of the white house aides, they lose their white house email. they lose the white house cell phones they shared. so the question is sort of what he forms post presidency, president trump does, from mar-a-lago, as he maintains his position on the political stage. obviously, so much power that he still wields within the republican party and within this country, given that more than 74 million americans voted for him. of course, more than 80 million voted for joe biden, which is why he won and why, today, he'll be sworn in. biden, as we note on the left side of your screen, you see him having arrived at church today. a man of faith. it's for that very reason that we saw joe biden yesterday with "hallelujah" and "amazing grace" being sung at the beautiful ceremony we were at yesterday at the lincoln memorial reflecting pool. wanted to make the pandemic front and center, to provide americans this moment of catharsis, this moment of

healing, and really this shared moment of mourning for more than 400,000 americans who have lost their lives. on the right side of the screen, we watch air force one take off with president trump aboard it for the last time. >> we will watch as air force one takes off. we now have a picture inside the church. so one president leaves, another prepares to take the solemn oath of office. we will continue to watch this. this is a day, now, which will look more like inaugurations past, where you see the president-elect and the vice president-elect attend church, then the swearing in, inaugural speech. a modified parade, hoda, because of the pandemic and because of security concerns, they're not able to do what past presidents have done with the long walk, the procession, and the parade. but here we have the two images. church about to begin.