Vouching for the successor he never imagined having, President Barack Obama on Monday said the United States under Donald Trump would remain the “indispensable nation” for global security and praised the president-elect for vowing to maintain America’s alliances.
“There is no weakening of resolve,” Obama said before departing on a three-nation trip that was supposed to be his grand valedictory tour.
Instead, he will now confront concerns about a Trump presidency in Europe and Latin America and have to reassure nations about a man who Obama only a week ago derided as “woefully unprepared for the job” who “can’t handle the nuclear codes.”