Nearing his final days in office, President Barack Obama has pushed for a smooth change of power before Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, offering support for the president-elect while also implementing his last plans.
Throughout Trump’s campaign, Obama has said that he does not have the temperament to be president. During his Nov. 14, 2016 press conference following Trump’s election, he again mentioned Trump’s temperament, saying, “There are going to be certain elements of his temperament that will not serve him well unless he recognizes them and corrects them.”
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While Trump and Obama’s views differ, in that press conference Obama noted that Trump should be given a chance.
Among the top of the differing policies list has been healthcare. Trump has repeatedly expressed opposition toward the Affordable Care Act, dubbed Obamacare. Trump will be attempting to repeal Obamacare when he assumes the presidency.
Obama has met with Democrats on Capitol Hill to have discussions about preserving Obamacare, though now that the election is over, he has spoken about his intentions to help Trump succeed.
Obama’s focus now has been for a smooth transition, with hopes that what was accomplished during his presidency will not be undone. He has cited the number of Americans insured and job growth when describing the past eight years under his leadership.
Obama has mentioned that if Trump and his team are able to come up with a replacement plan for Obamacare that works, he would congratulate him.
Over the past few months, Obama has said not to underestimate Trump, but has mentioned there are certain aspects about a Trump presidency that worry him, mostly related to policy views.
“My goal is on Jan. 21, America’s in the strongest position possible,” Obama said during his first press conference after Trump was elected. “And hopefully there’s an opportunity for the next president to build on that.”
While offering his support, Obama has been pushing final plans through.
On Tuesday, Jan. 17, Obama cut prison sentences for over 1,000 non-violent offenders, including Chelsea Manning, who leaked sensitive government information to Wikileaks. On Thursday, Jan. 19, Obama set the record for most commutations given in one day—330.
As he prepares to leave office, Obama has also continued to make presidential appointments. He also ended a policy that allowed Cubans who fled Cuba to obtain permanent residency in the United States if they reached U.S. land.
On Thursday, Obama shared a final message with the American people, discussing the hope he has felt throughout his presidency.
As Obama leaves the office and Trump prepares to take the oath of office, Obama promised Americans, “I’ll be right there with you every step of the way.”
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