“I think he’s pragmatic,” Obama said of the president-elect. “That can serve him well, as long as he has good people around him and has a clear sense of direction.”
The president is now tasked with overseeing a transfer to Trump’s administration before Inauguration Day on Jan. 20, 2017.
“This office is bigger than any one person, and that’s why ensuring a smooth transition is so important,” Obama said.
Meanwhile, he added that the United States would maintain its commitment to NATO, which Trump had questioned. “This office has a way of waking you up. Campaigning is different from governing. I think he recognizes that,” the president said.
