'See you soon': Trump exits but Senate trial looms
Former President Donald Trump vacated the White House for a final time as commander-in-chief on Wednesday, after one term and two impeachments, telling reporters on his way out that they haven't seen the last of him.
TRUMP: "I just want to say goodbye but hopefully it's not a long-term goodbye. We'll see each other again."
Then, breaking with more than 150 years of American tradition, he and wife Melania left for Joint Base Andrews to deliver a farewell speech instead of taking part in the peaceful transfer of power at the Capitol, in one last display of his bitter indignation over having lost the presidential election that he had falsely claimed was stolen from him.
TRUMP: "So just... a goodbye. We love you. We will be back in some form... Have a good life. We will see you soon."
But as Trump boarded Air Force One for Florida, his legacy was still being written, as he faces a second impeachment trial to determine if he incited an insurrection and whether he should be barred from ever running again for president.
The Senate impeachment trial could be just the beginning of investigations and allegations of wrongdoing Trump faces post-presidency.
The state of New York is conducting criminal investigations into Trump and his businesses, including probes into potential bank, tax and insurance fraud. And two women are suing Trump for defamation over calling them liars after they accused him of sexually assaulting them before he was elected in 2016.
Trump also re-enters private life already punished by social media companies, stripping him of his Twitter megaphone as well as other platforms that his critics said he used recklessly.
Trump's unorthodox communication style represented just one of several broken norms at home and on the world stage.
Trump abandoned international agreements, alienated longtime allies and praised authoritarian leaders, including longtime U.S. adversary Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin.
Trump leaves behind deep political divisions and an eerily fortified U.S. capital guarded by 25,000 National Guard troops due to threats of violence, after the deadly assault on the Capitol building.
Many of Trump's senior officials including Cabinet members left before he did, resigning in protest.
And, preoccupied with fighting the election results, Trump himself retreated from governing before physically leaving the White House, with his estranged vice president filling the void at security briefings and at the inauguration of President Joe Biden that Trump refused to attend.
