Barack Obama says he and ‘gregarious’ Trump opposites

Washington: In rare praise for Donald Trump, US President Barack Obama said the President-elect is “very engaging and gregarious” and not lacking in confidence but acknowledged that they were “opposites in some ways”.

“He is somebody who I think is very engaging and gregarious. I have enjoyed the conversations that we have had. He is somebody who I think is not lacking in confidence,” Mr Obama said, adding, “You have to have enough craziness to think that you can do the job. I think that he has not spent a lot of time sweating the details of, all the policies that I think that can be both a strength and a weakness. I think it depends on how he approaches it.”

“If it gives him fresh eyes, then that can be valuable. But it also requires you knowing what you do not know and putting in place people who do have the kinds of experience and background and knowledge that can inform good decision-making. I think it is fair to say that he and I are sort of opposites in some ways,” Mr Obama said.

After the November 8 general elections, Mr Obama and Mr Trump have had several talks over phone after their first meeting at the Oval Office days after the elections.

“The main thing that I have tried to transmit is that there is a difference between governing and campaigning,” Mr Obama told ABC News.

“You cannot manage it the way you would manage a family business. You cannot manage it the way you would manage a Senate office… you have to have a strong team. You have to have respect for institutions and the process to make good decisions because you are inherently reliant on other folks,” the US President said.