To say it’s been a bizarre few days would be an absolute understatement. However, in the midst of all the protests that have ensued from the election of Donald Trump as the next president of the United States, the president-elect and current President Barack Obama met to discuss Trump’s transition into the Oval Office. The New York Times reports that the meeting lasted approximately 90 minutes.
Obama and Trump have a shared history of making not-so-cordial comments about one another. According to the New York Times, though, Thursday’s meeting marks the first time that the two men met face-to-face. In spite of their prior accusations (hello birther movement) and seemingly negative feelings, Obama and Trump elected to show respect for each other.
Much of this respect came from an interest in forward progress. “I want to emphasize to you, Mr. President-elect, that we now are going to want to do everything we can to help you succeed because if you succeed, then the country succeeds,” Obama said during the press conference after the meeting.
The extent to which Obama will assist Trump remains unclear, but CNN indicates that the president-elect has expressed interest in seeking “counsel” from him. Trump even went so far as to call Obama “a very good man” and declare that meeting with him was “a great honor”—one that he, apparently, looks forward to having “many, many more times.”
During the meeting, Michelle Obama met with future First Lady Melania Trump. According to President Obama, he and his wife are determined to make the transition as smooth as possible. “We want to make sure that they [the Trump family] feel welcome,” Obama said.
The Obama administration will spend the next two months passing the presidential torch to Trump and his staff members.
