WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden urged Americans on Wednesday (Jan 15) to “stand guard” against an “oligarchy” forming under Donald Trump as he delivered a dark farewell address before stepping down next week.
In a primetime speech from the Oval Office at the end of his single term in office, the 82-year-old warned of an ultra-wealthy “tech industrial complex” that could gain unchecked power over the American people.
“Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy,” the 82-year-old Democrat said.
“That’s a dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a very few ultra-wealthy people.”
Biden also lashed out at social media firms, with X owner and the world’s richest man Elon Musk set to play a key role in Trump’s incoming administration and Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg courting the Republican.
“Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation, enabling the abuse of power,” said Biden.
Biden also warned of the dangers of AI, saying that America must take the “lead” over China on the transformative technology, and said that “powerful forces” threatened his climate achievements.
