President Barack H. Obama and President-Elect Donald J. Trump display unity in their White House meeting

President Obama and President-elect Donald Trump put on a show of unity during their first meeting at the White House on Thursday.


Story by New York Times
Written by Jordan Fabian

The two men, who have been sworn enemies for years, met for more than half an hour in the Oval Office, even though they were only scheduled to meet for 15 minutes, according to President-Elect Trump.

“I have been very encouraged by the interest in President-elect Trump’s wanting to work with my team around many of the issues that this great country faces,” President Obama said after what he called an "excellent" and “wide-ranging” discussion.

“I believe it is important for all of us, regardless of party and regardless of political preferences to come together to work together and deal with the many challenges we face,” the President added.

President-Elect Trump called the meeting “a great honor” and said he would seek out President Obama’s counsel during the whirlwind, 10-week transition period before he enters the Oval Office.

“We discussed a lot of different situations, some wonderful and some difficult,” President-Elect Trump said. "I very much look forward to dealing with the president in the future.”

The two leaders handled an admittedly difficult moment gracefully.

Lame Duck President Barack Obama and President-Elect Donald Trump were seated in high-backed armchairs at the end of the room, an arrangement typical for when the president meets with foreign leaders.