Joe Biden calls US vice president role 'greatest honour' of his life in farewell tweet

On 19 January, Joe Biden stepped down from his role as vice president of the United States, making way for Mike Pence. Hours before vacating the White House, the VP tweeted a message recalling the achievements of the Obama administration and expressing gratitude for the role he held for the past eight years.

"15.8 million new jobs. 20 million more people insured. 165,000 troops home from war. Serving as your VP was the greatest honour of my life," he wrote on Twitter.

On Friday (20 January), Biden will vacate the vice-presidential residence at the Naval Observatory in Washington for his home in Delaware, but he and his wife Jill plan to find a small house in capital so that she can continue teaching English at a community college in Northern Virginia.

A recent poll by the Huffington Post indicated the outgoing VP has a 52.8% favourable rating. His close friend and colleague Barack Obama holds a 60% positive rating based on polls by The Washington Post/ABC and CNN.

Prior to his departure from the White House, Biden made his final calls to various international leaders. On 18 January, aboard Air Force Two, he made final calls to Prime Minister of Kosovo Hashim Thaci, President of the Republic of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot Leader Mustafa Akinci and Prime Minister of Greece Alexis Tsipras to thank them for their positive relations with the US.

He also spoke with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi to thank him for his close partnership and leadership in the Iraqi-led campaign to liberate Mosul and all of Iraq from the terrorist group ISIL.