Opinion

Meeting the press for first time since Trump’s win, Obama says president-elect is committed to NATO

Much of the president’s hour-long news conference was dominated by questions of his view of Trump’s character, temperament and fitness for office. Obama offered careful praise for Trump’s ability to galvanize his constituency.

“What’s clear is that he was able to tap into, yes, the anxieties, but also the enthusiasm of his voters in a way that was impressive,” the president said. He observed that Trump was “impervious to events that might have sunk another candidate. That’s powerful stuff.”

But Obama cautioned that Trump would not be able to govern as he campaigned: “There are going to be certain elements of his temperament that will not serve him well unless he recognizes them and corrects them.”