Washington: United States President Barack Obama met the President-elect Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday, as both men put their bitter differences aside in a time-honoured ritual epitomizing the peaceful transfer of political power.
Three days after mocking Trump as unfit to control the codes needed to launch nuclear weapons, Obama told his successor that he wanted him to succeed and would do everything he could to ensure a smooth transition, reports CNN.
Calling Obama a “very good man” Trump, said that he would be seeking his advice in future.
The meeting reflected the sudden change in the political mood between the last days of an election campaign and the reality of government and the changeover of power between two administrations that follows.
Obama said that his number one priority in the next two months will be trying to facilitate a transition that ensures our President-elect is successful.
Obama informed Trump that “If you succeed, the country succeeds,” as the two men sat in high-backed chairs in front of the fireplace in the Oval Office.
Thanking Obama for the meeting which originally been scheduled for 10 minutes and went on for 90, Trump said, “Mr. President, it was a great honor being with you and I look forward to being with you many, many more times,” and adding that he and Obama had spoken about some wonderful and difficult things and “some high-flying assets.”
Following the White House visit, Trump went to meet House Speaker Paul Ryan on Capitol Hill and also saw Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell while in the town. Vice President-elect Mike Pence met Vice President Joe Biden.
Trump outlined his priorities after meeting McConnell.
The President-elect said, “We’ll look very strongly at immigration. We’re going to look at the border, very important. We’re going to look very strongly on health care. And we’re looking at jobs, big league jobs.”
At the same time as Trump and Obama were meeting, the billionaire’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and communications aide Hope Hicks met senior members of the White House staff.
ANI