With barely a flicker to betray the emotions of the day, Barack and Michelle Obama stepped out of the White House at 10.50am on Friday for the last time as president and first lady of the United States.

After eight historic years as America’s first black president, Obama departed 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and prepared to hand over the keys not to America’s first female president in Hillary Clinton, as he hoped and expected, but to Donald Trump.

The Obamas and the Trumps, Donald and Melania, had just spent 45 minutes inside over tea and coffee, a tradition.

The public greetings were measured and diplomatically warm – Melania Trump handing over a blue Tiffany gift box under the North Portico. The Obamas seemed like stiffer, more formal versions of their true selves. Within the hour they were off, travelling together to Capitol Hill – the women in one limousine and the men in the car behind.

Perhaps conscious that once the Trumps arrived everything would become something of a blur, Obama had used his presidential Twitter account, @POTUS (President of the United States) to communicate some thoughts.

“It’s been the honor of my life to serve you,” he wrote just after 9am. “You made me a better leader and a better man.” Then: “I won’t stop; I’ll be right there with you as a citizen, inspired by your voices of truth and justice, good humor and love.”

And: “I’m still asking you to believe – not in my ability to bring about change, but in yours. I believe in change because I believe in you.”

At 9.14am, Obama was filmed through the glass door of the Oval Office as he completed his final act there, leaving a letter of welcome to his successor, as tradition allows. He shared the space with a man halfway up a step ladder, who appeared to be removing the last traces of the 44th president in time for the imminent arrival of the 45th.

Asked if he felt nostalgic, Obama replied: “Of course.” With those two words and his last presidential words immortalised on the web, he was out.

Arriving at the Capitol to witness the official passing of power on a mild, cloudy day with dampness in the air, he and Michelle took their places on the West Front of the Capitol. Earlier in the morning, a US Marine Corps helicopter had been spotted on the east side, waiting to take the Obamas away.

Obama sat next to the outgoing vice-president, Joe Biden. Michelle Obama sat behind him. Behind her were the Clintons.

As President Trump delivered an astonishing, dark, almost dystopian inaugural speech, staggeringly more raw than the norm, Obama attempted to maintain an inscrutable expression. But he appeared grim.

Barack Obama sits with Michelle Obama, Jill Biden and Joe Biden at the inauguration. Photograph: Shawn Thew/EPA

However, after Trump wound up his speech and pumped his fists in the air like a prizefighter, Obama shook his hand and clapped him on the arm and could be seen mouthing “good job”.

The Obamas followed the Trumps up the carpeted stairs back into the Capitol, each stopping at the top to greet Bob Dole, the 1996 Republican candidate for president, and his wife Elizabeth. Once inside, Obama and Trump strode across the Rotunda together, their wives behind with Vice-President Mike Pence and his wife, Karen.

The House speaker, Paul Ryan, and leading Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer were among the politicians gathered, alongside military guardsmen on the steps of the East Front of the Capitol as the Obamas and Trumps emerged back into the outdoors.

Known as Marine One when a sitting president is aboard, for the immediate-ex president Obama and first lady the waiting helicopter would be known as Executive One.

Obama descended the steps shoulder to shoulder with Trump, chatting and sharing a joke. At the bottom, Obama smiled broadly. His wife could not hide an expression akin to melancholy. He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it, giving her a reassuring smile.

Then the Trumps walked the Obamas the few short steps across the rain-soaked paving to the helicopter. Moments after, Biden and his wife Jill got into a limousine to take them to Union station so they could return to Delaware.

Barack Obama kissed Melania Trump on the cheek and Donald Trump kissed Michelle Obama, and murmured something in her ear. Then Michelle climbed into the helicopter with Barack Obama behind her. He stopped briefly at the top of the steps to wave twice, smiling, then ducked inside and the door was shut.

The Trumps retreated halfway up the steps of the Capitol to stand with the Pences as the helicopter, seconds after 12.45pm, lifted into grey skies and flew towards Joint Base Andrews, where the former president and first lady would be reunited with their daughters, Malia and Sasha.

At Andrews, Obama gave a short speech to staff that was in complete contrast to Trump’s gloomy inaugural address. While Trump spoke of inner-city “carnage”, of closed factories and crumbling infrastructure, Obama returned to his abiding theme of hope.

“You decided to believe and you knocked on doors and made phone calls,” he said. “You didn’t know how to pronounce Barack Obama, but we got to know each other and throughout it was infused with hope.”

As staff members became tearful, he added that he and Michelle had simply been “the front men”. “It’s always been about you,” he said. “All the amazing things that have happened over these last 10 years are really just a testament to you.”

Barack and Michelle Obama wave goodbye. Photograph: Brendan Mcdermid/Reuters

The Obamas spent a good 35 minutes saying and hugging their goodbyes. Then they strode across the rain-soaked apron and held hands to walk along a red carpet leading to the steps up into the presidential 747.

Familiar the world over as Air Force One, the jet is only called that when a sitting president is aboard. With the Obamas aboard it was simply the presidential plane. They paused to wave and then disappeared inside.

The now-former first family have planned a sunshine holiday in Palm Springs, California. No doubt, the golf course will feature.



The presidential plane set its nose to the west, with a chance for the Obamas to sit back and relax. No more pre-dawn briefings to come.

In a farewell interview on CBS, Obama had said: “Well, here’s one thing is, I’m not setting my alarm. That, I’m certain of. That I am absolutely positive of. I’m going to spend time with Michelle.

“And, you know, we got some catching up to do. We’ve both been busy.”