Vice President Joe Biden was in Ireland, receiving an honorary doctorate; he said in his speech, 'I must say we had looked for a different outcome'

In the race for the White House, Hillary Clinton joined Obama on the side of the 'remain' campaign and Donald Trump urged

President Barack Obama says he spoke to British Prime Minister David Cameron on the phone today, and he is 'confident' after their discussion that the United Kingdom 'is committed to an orderly transition' out of the European Union.

Obama said that the United States will remain in close contact with Britain, and their economic and financial teams will 'stay focused on ensuring economic growth and financial stability.'

He also spoke to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, he said, and they agreed the US and the EU will also 'work closely together in the weeks and months ahead.'

'I do think that yesterday's vote speaks to the ongoing changes and challenges that are raised by globalization,' Obama said in his opening remarks at Stanford University's annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit.

Obama had publicly aligned himself with Cameron in the fight to keep the EU intact, an unusual intervention in another country's politics at the invitation of its leader of the moment.

He attempted to calm choppy global waters on Friday afternoon brought on by Britain's spectacular decision to leave the EU by promising that the United Kingdom's relationship with the United States would remain the same.

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President Barack Obama says he spoke to British Prime Minister David Cameron on the phone today, and he is 'confident' after their discussion that the United Kingdom 'is committed to an orderly transition' out of the European Union

As a result of the vote, Britain's relationship with the EU will change, Obama assessed at Stanford. 'One thing that will not change is the special relationship that exists between our two nations.'

The president said in a statement that both the UK and the EU would continue to be 'indispensable partners' and touted the former's involvement in NATO as an example of Western stability in face of tumbling worldwide markets.

'The people of the United Kingdom have spoken, and we respect their decision,' he said in a statement.

On the West Coast for a summit and fundraising events, Obama did not immediately speak to Cameron on Friday. In the interim, the White House offered no formal declaration of policy as the pound plunged and the stock market crashed abroad.

At Stanford, Obama had little to say about how the vote will affect the United States' trade partnership with Britain, now that it will soon exit the EU.

It will need to ink a new deal with the United States, he warned in April, and that could take months, and even years.

The referendum result was as much a smack down of the U.S. president as it was the British prime minister, who said this morning that he would resign in October.

'David has been an outstanding friend and partner on the global stage,' Obama said today of Cameron, whom he closer with than any other world leader.

Obama said that the United States will remain in close contact with Britain, and their economic and financial teams will 'stay focused on ensuring economic growth and financial stability'

The U.S. president had publicly aligned himself with Cameron in the fight to keep the EU intact, an unusual intervention in another country's politics at the invitation of its leader of the moment

Vice President Joe Biden was in Ireland on Friday, receiving an honorary doctorate from Trinity College Dublin. 'I must say we had looked for a different outcome,' Biden said of Brexit

Officially in California for the Global Entrepreneurship Summit, with two Democratic fundraising events lined up later in the day, the U.S. president waited until the event at Stanford - a speech and discussion with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg - to offer a televised comment on the shocking world event.

Hours after the vote totals poured in the White House issued a statement on Obama's behalf that asserted, 'The special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom is enduring, and the United Kingdom’s membership in NATO remains a vital cornerstone of U.S. foreign, security, and economic policy.

'So too is our relationship with the European Union, which has done so much to promote stability, stimulate economic growth, and foster the spread of democratic values and ideals across the continent and beyond.'

The chief executive of the United States promised that both parties 'will remain indispensable partners of the United States even as they begin negotiating their ongoing relationship to ensure continued stability, security, and prosperity for Europe, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the world.'

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) following news that the United Kingdom has voted to leave the European Union. The Dow Jones industrial average quickly fell nearly 500 points on the news with markets around the globe plunging

Britain voted 52 percent to 48 percent to leave the EU on Thursday, shocking the world and electrocuting the financial markets

WHITE HOUSE ON CAMERON CALL President Obama spoke by phone today with Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom to discuss the outcome of yesterday’s referendum on membership in the European Union, in which a majority of British voters expressed their desire to leave the EU. The President assured Prime Minister Cameron that, in spite of the outcome, the special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom, along with the United Kingdom’s membership in NATO, remain vital cornerstones of U.S. foreign, security, and economic policy. The President also expressed his regret at the Prime Minister’s decision to step aside following a leadership transition and noted that the Prime Minister has been a trusted partner and friend, whose counsel and shared dedication to democratic values, the special relationship, and the Transatlantic community are highly valued. The President also observed that the EU, which has done so much to promote stability, stimulate economic growth, and foster the spread of democratic values and ideals across the continent and beyond, will remain an indispensable partner of the United States. The President and Prime Minister concurred that they are confident that the United Kingdom and the EU will negotiate a productive way forward to ensure financial stability, continued trade and investment, and the mutual prosperity they bring. Advertisement

Britain voted 52 percent to 48 percent to leave the EU on Thursday, shocking the world and electrocuting the financial markets.

Vice President Joe Biden was in Ireland on Friday, receiving an honorary doctorate from Trinity College Dublin.

'I must say we had looked for a different outcome. We would have preferred a different outcome,' he said in his speech, 'but the United States has a long-standing friendship with the United Kingdom and that very special bond will endure.'

Biden added, 'We fully respect the decision they have made.'

Obama warned at at a joint news conference with Cameron in April that the UK would be sent to 'the back of the queue' if it voted to leave the 28-nation arrangement and go its own way.

'Maybe some point down the line, there might be a UK-U.S. trade agreement, but it’s not going to happen anytime soon,' Obama said, 'because our focus is in negotiating with a big bloc, the European Union, to get a trade agreement done.'

The US president added, 'The UK is going to be in the back of the queue -- not because we don't have a special relationship -- but because, given the heavy lift on any trade agreement, us having access to a big market with a lot of countries rather than trying to do piecemeal trade agreements is hugely inefficient.

Obama justified his toiling with the EU by casting the possible Brexit as a US security matter.

'What happens in Europe is going to have an impact here,' he said at the news conference at No. 10. 'And what happens in Europe is going to have an impact in the United States.'

Like Obama, Hillary Clinton, the next Democratic nominee, had urged Britain to 'remain' in the EU. She echoed again echoed Obama in a statement - released after the White House had finally spoken - that said, 'We respect the choice the people of the United Kingdom have made'

Obama warned at at a joint news conference with Cameron in April that the UK would be sent to 'the back of the queue' if it voted to leave the 28-nation arrangement and go its own way

GOP leaders and presumptive Republican Donald Trump blasted Obama's meddling as 'inappropriate.'

'He came in and really tried to convince people to stay, and I thought it was inappropriate,' said Trump, who threw his lot in with the 'leave' faction. 'And I actually think that his recommendation perhaps caused it to fail.'

At a press conference that officially marked the reopening of his Turnberry golf course in Scotland, Trump said Obama is 'constantly dictating to the world what they should do.

WHITE HOUSE ON MERKEL CALL The President spoke today by phone with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany regarding the British people’s decision to leave the European Union. Both said they regretted the decision but respected the will of the British people. The two leaders agreed that the economic and financial teams of the G-7 partners will coordinate closely to ensure all are focused on financial stability and economic growth. The President and the Chancellor affirmed that Germany and the EU will remain indispensable partners of the United States. The leaders also noted that they looked forward to the opportunity to underscore the strength and enduring bond of transatlantic ties at the NATO Summit in Warsaw, Poland, July 8-9. Advertisement

'The world doesn't listen to him, obviously. You can see that from the vote.'

Trump promised the country's closest ally that if he succeeds Obama, he'll quickly negotiate a new trade deal with Britain.

'That wouldn't happen with me. They'll always be at the front of the line,' he said in reference to Obama's 'back of the queue' comment in April.

Trump said, 'They've been great allies. I was very surprised when I heard President Obama say that.'

The U.S. presidential election is in November. The sitting president does not leave office until two and a half months later.

Like Obama, Hillary Clinton, the next Democratic nominee, had urged Britain to 'remain' in the EU.

She again echoed Obama in a statement today - released after the White House had finally spoken - that said, 'We respect the choice the people of the United Kingdom have made.'

'Our first task has to be to make sure that the economic uncertainty created by these events does not hurt working families here in America. We also have to make clear America's steadfast commitment to the special relationship with Britain and the transatlantic alliance with Europe.

Clinton said in the written statement: 'This time of uncertainty only underscores the need for calm, steady, experienced leadership in the White House to protect Americans' pocketbooks and livelihoods, to support our friends and allies, to stand up to our adversaries, and to defend our interests. It also underscores the need for us to pull together to solve our challenges as a country, not tear each other down.'

FULL WHITE HOUSE STATEMENT ON BREXIT The people of the United Kingdom have spoken, and we respect their decision. The special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom is enduring, and the United Kingdom’s membership in NATO remains a vital cornerstone of U.S. foreign, security, and economic policy. So too is our relationship with the European Union, which has done so much to promote stability, stimulate economic growth, and foster the spread of democratic values and ideals across the continent and beyond. The United Kingdom and the European Union will remain indispensable partners of the United States even as they begin negotiating their ongoing relationship to ensure continued stability, security, and prosperity for Europe, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the world. Advertisement

Trump blasted Obama today: 'He came in and really tried to convince people to stay, and I thought it was inappropriate,' said Trump, who threw his lot in with the 'leave' faction. 'And I actually think that his recommendation perhaps caused it to fail'

Previously, Jake Sullivan, her senior policy adviser, said she supported Cameron and Obama's position.

'Hillary Clinton believes that transatlantic cooperation is essential, and that cooperation is strongest when Europe is united. She has always valued a strong United Kingdom in a strong EU. And she values a strong British voice in the EU,' he told the Observer in April, a day after the Obama-Cameron presser.

Trump used it as a cudgel against her on Friday. He said, 'She's always misread everything...She's misread this.'

'The only reason she did it is because Obama wanted it,' he said. Clinton 'doubled down' on what Obama said 'and she did the same thing.'

'And obviously, for the 219th time, they were wrong. They're always wrong. And that's the problem with them.'

House Speaker Paul Ryan refused on Thursday to get involved in the Brexit debate UK voters made their decision.

'I’m going to do exactly what the president did not do and not weigh in on this, and send the signal to our great friends and allies in Britain that we stand with them regardless of what decision they make,' Ryan said.