Obama calls for seamless transition for U.S. military to Trump
ASSOCIATED PRESS
President Barack Obama pauses while meeting to Combatant Commanders and Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington.
WASHINGTON >> President Barack Obama called for a smooth handover of control of the U.S. military to incoming commander in chief Donald Trump, as the outgoing president met Wednesday with military leaders for the last time.
“We’ve got to make sure that during this transition period that there is a seamless passing of the baton, that there’s continuity,” Obama said. He said it was critical to ensure that “we are doing everything we can to make sure that the next president will benefit from the same kinds of outstanding advice and service that these people around the table have provided me.”
Obama’s comments as he sat down with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the military’s combatant commanders came amid concerns in military and diplomatic circles about how Trump may handle national security challenges. Over the last few days, Trump has disputed the U.S. intelligence community’s assessments about Russian hacking, insisted without explanation that North Korea won’t develop a nuclear weapon that could hit the U.S. and questioned the worth of the United Nations.
Obama pointed to a handful of conflicts that Trump will inherit when he takes office on Jan. 20, including the fight against the Islamic State group in Syria and in the Iraqi city of Mosul, the biggest IS stronghold in Iraq and last major Iraqi city where the extremist group still has control. He also noted that the conflict in Afghanistan “is still active.”
In praising the military, Obama appeared to call attention to traditions that Democrats are most concerned that Trump may not uphold. Trump has nominated retired Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis for defense secretary despite the prohibition on recently departed military members running the civilian-led Pentagon, and at one point in the campaign, Trump called for reinstating waterboarding and other harsh interrogation techniques.
Obama said he was optimistic about the country’s future because the military upholds “the values of rule of law and professionalism and integrity, and recognizes our constitutional structure and maintains strict adherence and respect for civilian authority and democratic practices in determining how we use the awesome force of the American military.”
Don't miss out on what's happening!
Stay in touch with top news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It's FREE!
The president was also honored at a farewell ceremony at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, a short drive from the White House.
Addressing a room of men and women from the various branches of the military, Obama praised their service and sacrifice. He said there is “no greater privilege and no greater honor” than serving as commander in chief.
“As I reflect on the challenges we have faced together and on those to come, I believe that one of the greatest tasks before our armed forces is to retain the high confidence that the American people rightly place in you,” Obama said. “We must never hesitate to act when necessary to defend our nation, but we must also never rush into war because sending you into harm’s way should be a last and not first resort.”
Prior to his remarks, Defense Secretary Ash Carter presented Obama with the Medal of Distinguished Public Service as a token of appreciation for his service as commander in chief.
32 responses to “Obama calls for seamless transition for U.S. military to Trump”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
he has been a fine commander and chief. I fear Trump with his famous temper and ego will be sending our men and women into needless battle at the drop of the hat. Bush certainly did and failed at 2 wars.
you don’t need to fear trump he will build up our military with better arms and technology to put us back as the top military in the world, hopefully get rid of this rules of engagement where can shoot our enemy first before they have chance to shoot us first, that’s what trump will do, with these former generals in strategic places I feel more safe to sleep at night.
“Put us back as top military in the world”? What planet are you from that we are not already built as the top military entity in the world?
IRT GoneGolfin, the United States has fallen behind to #5 in the World.
simple if you read the news a couple years ago when US was doing war games a Chinese sub surfaced right in the middle of practice war games and we did not even pick him up on radar, the minute that happen I knew are technology was going down the tubes so we are not the top military no more and those are facts.
Interesting. Are there any links indicating the US is not the world’s most powerful nation militarily?
@ Hawaiikone. I believe the only private assessment of US military strength is the annual report done by the Heritage Foundation which has assessed a decline in US military strength and preparedness if I recall correctly.
http://index.heritage.org/military/2016/
And our military budget is way larger than the other large countries like Russia and China combined. So are you saying the quality of our military is poor even though we are spending the most for the military industrial complex?
Global firepower and credit suisse both have the u.s. ranked far and away still the most powerful military.
bullfighter, your link, one of many military style websites, points out the decline in defense spending, and attributes this to a weakening of our overall capabilities. It does not provide any rankings or references to any other nation. Personally, I’m in favor of this reduction in offensive readiness, and am supportive of the libertarian concept of maintaining the world’s most effective and efficient defensive force, thereby freeing up considerable funding which could be far better spent in other areas.
allie, the teacher who should know better but doesn’t. Obama the Commander In Chief pledged to close Gitmo and is still trying to move out detainees despite the high recidivism rate among those who have already been released. Who in their right mind would release terrorists with the likely potential that they will recommit violence? Does that qualify as “scary” allie?
Under Obama’s reign, the US overthrew Libya and attempted to overthrow Egypt and Syria in order to further destabilize the Middle East resulting in a mass exodus of refugees and terrorists posing as refugees. Obama invited them to this country without adequate background checks. According to allie, that makes for a “fine commander and chief. That is scary.
allie………………………………………
allie, Career-oriented troops favor Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump over his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton by a 3:1 margin.
Why did Obama give ISIS 2,300 Humvees with ammo and weapons at a cost to the taxpayers of 580 million dollars?
Stand outside Kaneohe with a huge sign with “Obama was a fine commander and chief” and see how long you last. You are way out of touch.
Fake News
What’s fake about it?
allie……………………………………………………………
Hope the door of the white house doesn’t slam and hit him on the way out. He has been a loser President but he believes on his own press on how well he is doing. He can’t even win the war in the streets of his own home city Chicago probably too afraid to go home.
a privilege serving as commander in chief of our military, lets see he cut military spending where we needed to update are technology to be ahead of other countries in that area, he allows sissy’s and transgender to destroy our military to a bottom level and he said he was proud being the CC yeah right, we are far behind the times since he gutted our military. nerobama gets an F grade for what he did to the armed services.
I completely disagree with your analysis. I tend to agree with Allie in the sense that he has brought much integrity and general humane treatment to our nation to include fairness, equal rights and basic reluctance to change the views of many.
Of course, there are those much like yourself that would like to see a world full of violence and war that I just cannot understand.
What is wrong with world peace?
there is not going to be world peace as long as Islamic terrorist countries and terrorist around the world killing everybody we need a strong military to combat this that nerobama gutted what dream world are you in.
64hoo , No chance you are going to get ignoramuses like Golfin ans allie to see the reality of how violent a world we live in. It scares them too much. I wish the calm peaceful world they believe in were true , but it is fantasy.
How they miss the brutality and fanaticism of the Jihadi I’ll never understand , maybe if the press were allowed to actually show the cage burnings and dull knife beheadings thet’d get it ……. but I doubt it.
A failed president prepares to exit stage left. For a Nobel Peace Prize winner the world sure seems to be very dangerous to me after 8 years of Barry. There has been an explosion of world wide Islamic terrorism. As Doc Savage is fond of saying: “Virtually every conflict on the globe is a result of Muslims unable to get along with their neighbors” And for some reason Barry remains in denial and foolishly releases killers from Gitmo. Syria, Benghazi and back-stabbing Israel. Social engineering madness like women in combat (and on combatant ships), celebration of alternative lifestyles in the ranks and taxpayer funding for “gender re-assignment”.
When you’re skilled at soft power, you don’t need to keep waving a big stick. why put our sons and daughters unnecessarily at risk. This is Obama.
Our system of sanctions is very potent because Obama has been able to get cooperation. Can Trump do that? We shall see.
Republicans can pass all kinds of crazy sanctions legislation but unless our friends buy it, not of the legislation will be effective.
What does being a nobel peace prize winner have anything to do with the state of the world?
IRT skinut: I’m glad you asked. Let me illustrate by way of analogy. An unproven college football quarterback with no record of achievement wins the Heisman trophy pre-season. He then “leads” his team to a winless season. To excuse his failure he accuses the opposition of being uncooperative.
Nonsensical argument for so many reasons.
Has any nobel peace prize winner ever been held to so high a standard as the expectations you espouse?
“If there’s one thing Obama should have learned from his futile strategy of governing by “phone and pen” — if there’s one thing that should be clear as Republicans prepare to obliterate much of his second term in a matter of hours — it’s that you can’t build anything lasting by executive fiat. Sooner or later, whatever you achieve with the flourish of a single pen is erased with about the same casual effort.
What history will most remember, unfortunately, is that you refused to stand down when the verdict was in. That’s no way for an otherwise graceful president to go out.”
Your Comment is Awaiting Moderation.
You gotta Love this Headlines. “Obama Call For A Seamless Transition For US Military to Trump”.
Yikes!”Leaping Lizards!”
Acting as if it’s personal Obama’s Military to Give. Haaaaaaaaaaaa! What makes anyone think, that anything Obama does ,there is going to be a “Smooth Transition”. Cripes! Look at all the Daggers already in Trump’s Back before he’s even taken office!;ie. The Russian Hacking, Throwing Israel under the Bus. Obama will continue acting as if he owns the US,all the way till Jan 20th. And he’ll keep making trouble for the PE Donald J. Trump. Why only just today he’s instructing the Democrats to Oppose the Repealing of the ACA…..He’s not done yet Folks!
Democrats are really funny when they say they are fighting for the little guys, but check out their Bank accounts and it’s OMG! Right Senator Harry Reid? And Yes even our own The Late Daniel Inuoye. When leaving office? These guys became “Mega Millionaires! Mere Politicians!
Boy is Barry going to miss all those luxurious vacations ,which has racked up (On the Tax Payer’s Dime) to about 90 Million dollars over the past 8 years! Yep,you heard right 90 with an “M” as in Million! I first heard this,& I nearly fell out of my chair!
I digress……..
Finally we have a Real Leader who will deal with the worlds Issues and of course ISIS. A Real Commander in Chief! Finally! MAGA! IMUA!
Sound advice maybe but dumbo didn’t listen. Or, what they said went from one dumbo ear right out the other.
The transition is expected to be seamless and uneventful. Geez. That’s understood and expected. It shouldn’t be newsworthy at all. Real item of interest is: “President Obama Awards Himself Distinguished Public Service Medal”. He’s working real hard to get the most of his remaining days as president.
I wouldn’t worry about it Hussain. The rank and file military and the officers as well are flocking to Trump after massively
helping to vote him in. You couldn’t hold them back if you tried.
15 MORE dAYS then America can start to be great again,t