Biden thanks troops for ‘strength' and ‘integrity' in unprecedented times at farewell address to military

President Biden connected Thursday thanked work members for their "strength" and "integrity" portion giving his farewell code successful Virginia. 

"There's ne'er been a clip successful past erstwhile we've asked our subject to bash truthful galore antithetic things truthful galore places, each astatine the aforesaid time," the president said astatine Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall successful Virginia. "And I privation to beryllium clear: You person done each these missions with spot and, possibly adjacent importantly, integrity." 

Biden’s code to troops came the greeting aft his farewell code to the federation successful which helium said it was his "great honor" to service arsenic the 46th president. 

It besides comes 4 days earlier President-elect Trump succeeds him. 

WHILE TRUMP, BIDEN CLAIM CREDIT FOR ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASEFIRE, SOME REPUBLICANS CALL IT A BAD DEAL

"You each correspond what America is: character, honesty, integrity, commitment," Biden told the troops. "You are simply the top warring unit successful the past of the world." 

The president said the troops "rose to the occasion" erstwhile helium asked for the warfare successful Afghanistan to end, "evacuating Americans, allies and our Afghan partners, accomplishing the largest airlift successful subject past and ending a war. The aforesaid courageousness is defined by American work successful Afghanistan for implicit 20 years."

He said helium believes "history volition bespeak that was the close happening to do, but I know, I know, it was hard aft decades of losing your brothers and sisters, including [during the] withdrawal. The symptom was inactive real. And it was for maine arsenic well. Every time I inactive carry, each azygous day." 

Biden has been criticized for his handling of the messy Afghanistan withdrawal, erstwhile 13 U.S. work members were killed. 

He added that six months aft American troops withdrew from Afghanistan, "when Russia began its largest warfare successful Europe since World War II, I asked you to assistance support Ukraine. You didn't hesitate. You kept Ukraine successful the fight, trained Ukrainian soldiers and pilots, troops, bolstered NATO's eastbound flank. And, supra all, you showed the satellite America stands up for freedom, stands with our friends."

BIDEN THANKS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE FOR THE GREAT HONOR TO SERVE AS PRESIDENT DURING FAREWELL ADDRESS

He besides touted the Israel-Hamas cease-fire deal, which was announced Wednesday and archetypal mentioned successful his farewell code to the nation. 

"The roadworthy to that woody was not easy," helium admitted, saying helium "laid down the elements of that woody 8 months ago." 

President-elect Trump has besides taken recognition for the cease-fire.

"This EPIC ceasefire statement could person lone happened arsenic a effect of our Historic Victory successful November, arsenic it signaled to the full World that my Administration would question Peace and negociate deals to guarantee the information of each Americans, and our Allies," Trump wrote connected Truth Social Wednesday. "I americium thrilled American and Israeli hostages volition beryllium returning location to beryllium reunited with their families and loved ones." 

Biden besides thanked subject families who "sacrifice truthful much" successful his speech. 

"Most Americans ne'er spot the sacrifices that you marque each azygous day," helium continued. "Don't ever spot each those holidays and birthdays with an bare spot astatine the meal array due to the fact that ma oregon dada was deployed. Never spot each the moves you had to marque to caller states, to caller schools, to caller jobs." 

He added adjacent the extremity of his speech, "You're genuinely the finest warring unit successful the past of the world," adding that the American subject has the champion training, weapons, ships and planes. 

"But that unsocial is not what makes america strong," helium said. "It’s our values. American values. Our committedness to honor, to integrity, to unity, to protecting and defending. Not a idiosyncratic oregon a enactment oregon a place, but an idea." 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Before Biden's speech, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, president of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, thanked Biden for his work successful their ain remarks, which were portion of the commandant successful main farewell tribute to the president.