This is it, the last one before the media officially boards the roller coaster of covering a Donald Trump administration.
President Barack Obama held his final news conference at the White House this afternoon, addressing Chelsea Manning, Russia, Cuba, and the transition of power.
“I have offered my best advice, and counsel about certain issues both foreign and investment,” Obama said about his conversations with the incoming president-elect before acknowledging the reality that Trump is likely to dismantle much of his legacy. “My working assumption is having won an election opposed to an number of my initiatives … it is appropriate for him to go forward with his vision and his values and I don’t expect that there’s going to be enormous overlap.”
The president dodged a question about the appropriateness of a number of Democrats boycotting the swearing-in, saying “All I know is I’m going to be there. I’m heartened by the fact that it won’t be as cold as my first inauguration—cause that was cold.”
When asked about the progress made toward LGBTQ rights in recent years, Obama downplayed his own involvement, attributing many of the gains to changes in society at large and expressing confidence that they will survive under a Trump presidency. “I don’t think it is something that is reversible. American society has changed the attitudes of young people has changed,” he said.
As for his post-presidency plans, Obama described taking some time to process the experience, to write, and be with his daughters. “I just want to be quiet, a little bit.”
He signed off on a question about discussing the results of the election with his daughter. “At my core, I think we’re going to be ok. We just have to fight for it, work for it.”
This post has been updated.
Rachel Sadon