Trump, who departed the White House shortly after 14:00 CET with his wife, Melania, said it had been "a great honour, the honour of a lifetime" to serve as president.
ADVERTISEMENTDonald Trump wished the incoming Biden administration "great luck" in his last speech as US president on Wednesday.
Trump, who departed the White House shortly after 14:00 CET with his wife, Melania, said it had been "a great honour, the honour of a lifetime" to serve as president. He also thanked the "incredible" people who worked with him during his time in office.
During a short speech at the Andrews Air Force Base — his last address as US president — Trump wished the new administration "great luck and great success".
"This has been an incredible four years," he said. "We have accomplished so much together."
He then touted his own achievements, claiming to have set the economy on "a rocket ship up".
"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," he went on.
On the pandemic, which has claimed the lives of more than 400,000 US residents, he once more took credit for the vaccine.
"We did something that is really considered a medical miracle. They're calling it a miracle. And that was the vaccine," he said.
He also said he would be back in "some form".
Trump then boarded Air Force One to travel to Florida, breaking with a 150-year-old tradition by refusing to attend the inauguration ceremony of his successor, Joe Biden.
It is unclear whether Trump will attend his Senate impeachment trial. The House of Representatives impeached Trump for a second time earlier this month on charges of inciting an insurrection following the storming of the Capital by a violent mob of his supporters.
No date has yet been set for the trial.