(Photo : Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images) U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump depart Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House on December 31, 2020 in Washington, DC.

President Donald Trump recalled 2020's "historic victories" in his year-end message while President-elect Joe Biden looked forward to 2021.

Trump highlighted his administration's work after weeks of vowing to fight for his White House spot. "We have to be remembered for what's been done," he said.

Trump returned early from vacation on Thursday before delivering the year-end message, reported CBS 7.

On the other hand, Biden appeared with his wife Jill Biden from their home on ABC's Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest.

When asked what he was looking forward to in 2021, Biden said America would "come back stronger than we were before," reported Deadline.

Trump Misses NYE Party at Palm Beach Club

The White House did not provide a reason for Trump's early return to Washington, but it only meant the president wouldn't be of attendance to the glitzy New Year's Eve party held at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida yearly.

Trump's change in schedule came amid a fight with Congress over a defense bill and stimulus checks, reported Reuters.

It also came as tensions escalate between the U.S. and Iran during the final weeks of his administration.

In his message, Trump further noted that he correctly predicted that the country had produced a COVID-19 vaccine in record time with his predictions that it would be done by the end of 2020.

Trump in Tension with Republicans Over Spending Bills

Throughout his turbulent term, Trump has not had many disagreements with his Republican allies. But when it came to the relief bill and his claims of election fraud, he reached a point of lashing out at them for not giving their full support.

Apart from his demand for bigger stimulus checks, they also showed little support in his veto on the defense bill. 

Related Story: Congress Overrides Trump's Veto for the First Time on Defense Bill

One of the players that issued a major blow to Trump's stimulus check push was Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, the top Republican in the chamber.

McConnell declined to schedule a vote on a bill that would raise the relief checks from $600 to $2,000 as part of the nearly $900 billion coronavirus relief package passed by Congress.

McConnell rejected a standalone bill that would increase stimulus checks. He believed the bill was a form of "socialism for rich people" and was a "terrible way to get help to families who actually need it."

On New Year's Day, Congress voted to override Trump's veto on a defense policy bill. McConnell said for almost six decades, Congress has enacted the annual defense bill.

So whether it's through "the easy way or the hard way," he noted that Congress would do the same thing again.

"This body will fulfill our responsibility to the men and women who protect our country," he said. 

Bidens Thank Frontline Workers in Year-End Message

During the year-end interview, the Bidens thanked the frontline and essential workers for keeping the country together and urged Americans to get vaccinated against COVID-19 when it becomes available. 

Related Story: Operation Warp Speed Behind Schedule: Vaccinating Americans Could Take 10 Years at Current Pace

The incoming president also called for a better way to distribute the vaccines since it has been moving slower than expected so far.

The U.S. has been one of the worst-hit countries when it came to the pandemic, leading in the world's death toll at more than 300,000 deaths reported to be linked to the virus.