President-elect, Trump, Meets Obama At The White House

Obama says “I have been very encouraged by an interest in president-elect Trump’s wanting to work with my team around many of the issues that the country faces… it is important for all of us … to now come together, work together…

Michelle’s had the chance to greet the incoming first lady, and we’ve had an excellent conversation and want to make sure they feel welcome…

We now are gonna want to do everything we can because if you succeed the country succeeds.

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Trump:

We had never met.. The meeting was supposed to last 10 minutes… I have great respect… it went on for an hour-and-a-half and as far as I’m concerned it could have gone on longer… we really we discussed a lot of different situations, some wonderful and some difficulties. I very much look forward to dealing with the president in the future, including counsel.

Mr President, was a great honor being with you and I look forward to being with you many many more times in the future.

Obama said the number one priority was to ensure a smooth transition, so Trump could be a successful president.

“If he succeeds, the country succeeds,” Obama said.

Trump said he had “respect for the president” and said they talked about some wonderful things and some difficult things.

Asked if he would seek the advice of the president, Trump said Obama was a “very fine man.”

Trump also boasted of how long their meeting had been. He said it was scheduled for ten minutes but lasted for an hour and a half, and could have gone on much longer.

Dan Roberts

Obama and Trump talked about foreign and domestic policy according to initial pool chatter in the press room.

In short remarks, the president said the two had an “excellent conversation.”

At least we’ll have access to the vice president? That’s pretty important, right? Despite their calls, protesters gathered in several cities across the country. Many chanted: “Not my president.”

In New York, thousands marched on Trump Tower, attacking his policies on immigration, gay rights and reproductive rights. Fifteen people were arrested, the New York Times reported

Protests were largely peaceful but in Oakland, California, some demonstrators smashed shop windows and threw missiles at riot police, who reportedly responded with tear gas

A mass anti-Trump rally shut down the key 101 freeway in Los Angeles

In Chicago, crowds blocked the entrance to Trump Tower, chanting: “No Trump, No KKK, No Fascists USA”

In Portland, Oregon, demonstrators temporarily closed an interstate highway

In Washington DC, protesters held a candlelit vigil. Organiser Ben Wikler told the crowd: “We are here because in these darkest moments, we are not alone”

Demonstrations also took place in Philadelphia, Boston, Seattle and San Francisco, among other cities.

In his victory speech in the early hours of Wednesday, Mr Trump vowed to “bind the wounds of division”, after an acrimonious election contest, and to be “president for all Americans”.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest has insisted Mr Obama will be sincere about ensuring a smooth handover when he meets Mr Trump, although he added: “I’m not saying it’s going to be an easy meeting.”

With the Republicans holding a majority in both chambers of the US Congress Mr Trump has an easier path to pass his laws and scrap key Obama initiatives like his healthcare reforms.

‘I will be president for all Americans’

Barack Obama: This is the nature of democracy

Mr Obama, who congratulated his successor in a phone call in the early hours of Wednesday, said it was “no secret” that he and Mr Trump had pretty significant differences.

But he added that “we all want what’s best for this country” and he was “heartened” by what he heard in Mr Trump’s remarks the night before.

The president-elect’s transition team for the 10-week period until inauguration will be led by Chris Christie, Governor of New Jersey.

Mr Trump, who has never held elected office, has said his immediate priorities will be restoring the country’s infrastructure and doubling its economic growth.

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said: “Donald Trump is taking this very seriously,” adding that the business mogul’s deal-making ability would enable him to quickly “make things happen for the American people”.

In US president-elect, Mr Trump is entitled to get the same daily intelligence briefing as President Obama, which includes information on covert US operations and other data gathered by America’s 17 intelligence agencies.

Mr Trump’s team is understood to be focused on quickly filling key national security posts.

But it is not yet clear who will sit in his cabinet or fill senior posts in his administration, such as chief of staff.

Media captionUS election results: Trump’s silent majority in Florida.

There are expected to be roles for Mr Christie, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, another of Mr Trump’s closest advisers, who is being linked with the role of attorney general or national security adviser.

Eyes will also be on who he appoints to oversee foreign relations.

Source: Leadership

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