WATCH: President Obama Delivers Thinly-Veiled Warning to Donald Trump in Press Conference
Warns Trump and GOP to Not Continue on Their Current Course
President Barack Obama Monday afternoon opened his first press conference after last week’s election by telling reporters the White House has been hard at work to help the Donald Trump transition team, and managed to get in a thinly-veiled warning to Trump and the GOP to boot.
The President stressed, “civility and tolerance,” and “reason, and facts, and analysis” are “norms that are vital to a functioning democracy,” warning Trump and the GOP should they decide to continue on their current course.Â
President Obama defends “reason and facts and analysis” in first post-election news conference.
— Chris Geidner (@chrisgeidner) November 14, 2016
“This office is bigger than any one person, that’s why ensuring a smooth transition is so important. It’s not one of those things that the Constitution specifically requires, but it’s one of those norms that are vital to a functioning democracy,” Pres. Obama told reporters. “Similar to norms of civility and tolerance, and a commitment to reason, and facts, and analysis. It’s part of what makes this country work. And as long as I’m president we are going to try to uphold those norms, and cherish and uphold those ideals.”
.@POTUS: Smooth transition a “vital” political norm, like “civility, tolerance and commitment to reason and facts” https://t.co/izBxlrFLUw
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) November 14, 2016
The President also had the opportunity to note the vital importance of the a president’s chief of staff and other key advisors.Â
“Gestures matter,” Obama noted, and told reporters it’s vital for a new president to choose his staff wisely.
Obama says he told Trump he needs right people around him to be able to make good decisions. “If you don’t have that, you’ll get swamped”
— Kate Snow (@tvkatesnow) November 14, 2016
Later, Pres. Obama was asked about Donald Trump’s new top White House advisor, Steve Bannon, and offered this comment.Â
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