The lights are still on at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, but President Joe Biden seems nowhere to be found.

With just 42 days left in his presidency before Donald Trump assumes office, Biden has retreated behind a wall of carefully scripted appearances, dodging impromptu press questions and staying conspicuously silent on Trump’s victory, congressional policy battles, and the heated discussions about his party’s direction.

His public schedule has dwindled to ceremonial functions, such as hosting the 2024 NBA champions and participating in a Friendsgiving event. While he did emerge briefly to praise the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire and meet with Israeli President Herzog, his domestic engagement has nearly vanished.

According to a report by Politico, White House aides have privately acknowledged that the president recognizes few are eager to hear from him now, and there’s a lingering sense that he owes little to a party that pushed him aside.

As leader of the Democratic Party, Biden should be outlining a concrete plan for opposing Trump or at least maintaining unity after a historic election loss.

The President is expected to deliver at least two major addresses before leaving office – one on the economy Tuesday highlighting manufacturing revival, and another on foreign policy defending his vision of global alliances that Trump has promised to dismantle. He may join another virtual meeting supporting Ukraine. But there’s little indication Biden plans to take aggressive action to constrain Trump’s incoming administration.

Even Biden’s closest allies seem uncertain of his future role. Senator Chris Coons, a longtime friend from Delaware, suggests Biden will likely focus on pet issues like cancer research and global diplomacy rather than party leadership.

For the thousands of supporters who knocked on doors, donated money, and backed his administration for four years, they deserve to hear from their president before he takes his final bow.

“It would be great to be talking about the things that were accomplished under the Biden term,” noted Rep. Annie Kuster (D-N.H.), citing infrastructure and climate achievements. “We haven’t gotten that message out strongly enough before the election, but he shouldn’t miss the opportunity to talk about that now.”

The lights may still be on at the White House, but increasingly they illuminate only the ghost of presidential authority and a Democratic Party already looking past its current leader toward an uncertain tomorrow.