Washington (CNN) President Barack Obama, as his tenure draws to a close, is deploying his legal authority in a last-minute bid to cement the areas of his legacy threatened by Donald Trump's incoming administration.

Obama has tasked his staff with locating as many areas as possible where his top agenda items could be calcified and protected from Trump's wrecking ball, according to officials.

He's placing an indefinite ban on oil drilling in huge swaths of the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, wary of a successor who promised a boost in US energy production.

He's advised lawmakers of plans to transfer almost one-third of the remaining population at Guantanamo Bay to other countries, despite Trump's vow to fill up the prison with "bad dudes."

Obama and the first lady leave the stage after the President's farewell address in Chicago on January 10, 2017. During his speech, Obama recounted a presidency that saw setbacks as well as successes. Admitting candidly that political discourse has soured under his watch, Obama demanded that Americans renew efforts at reconciliation. "It falls to each of us to be those anxious, jealous guardians of our democracy," he said. "To embrace the joyous task we've been given to continually try to improve this great nation of ours."

Obama shakes hands with President-elect Donald Trump in the Oval Office on November 10, 2016. "My No. 1 priority in the next two months is to try to facilitate a transition that ensures our President-elect is successful," Obama said after meeting with Trump for about 90 minutes.

First lady Michelle Obama hugs former U.S. President George W. Bush during the dedication ceremony of the new Smithsonian museum devoted to African-American history. The museum opened in Washington on September 24, 2016. Read more: The friendship of Michelle Obama and George W. Bush

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets Obama at the G-20 Summit in Hangzhou, China, on September 5, 2016. Obama, who had a 90-minute session with Putin, said their talk was "candid, blunt and businesslike," and included the issues of cyberintrusions and the Syrian conflict.

Obama hugs Hillary Clinton after speaking at the Democratic National Convention on July 27, 2016. "I can say with confidence there has never been a man or a woman -- not me, not Bill, nobody -- more qualified than Hillary Clinton to serve as president of the United States of America," Obama said.

The Obamas sit next to former U.S. President George W. Bush at a memorial service in Dallas for the five police officers who were killed during a protest on July 7, 2016. Obama said that the nation mourned along with Dallas, but he implored Americans not to give in to despair or the fear that "the center might not hold."

Obama hugs his daughter Malia at the White House Fourth of July party in 2016. She was celebrating her 18th birthday during the party, which included musicians Janelle Monae and Kendrick Lamar.

Obama hugs his daughter Malia at the White House Fourth of July party in 2016. She was celebrating her 18th birthday during the party, which included musicians Janelle Monae and Kendrick Lamar.

The President arrives in the White House briefing room to deliver remarks on June 23, 2016. The Supreme Court had announced that day that it was evenly divided in a case concerning Obama's executive actions on immigration reform.

Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe shake hands after laying wreaths at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, Japan, on May 27, 2016. Obama, the first sitting U.S. President to visit Hiroshima, called for a "world without nuclear weapons" during his speech.

Obama talks with Britain's Prince William, right, as William's wife Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, plays with their son, Prince George, on April 22, 2016. The President and his wife were visiting Kensington Palace in London.

Obama and his daughter Malia walk down the steps of Air Force One after arriving in Chicago on April 7, 2016. She will be attending Harvard University after taking a gap year, the White House announced in May.

The Obamas read a book to children at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll on March 28, 2016. The Easter Egg Roll has been a White House tradition since 1878, when President Rutherford B. Hayes allowed children to roll eggs on the South Lawn.

The Obamas read a book to children at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll on March 28, 2016. The Easter Egg Roll has been a White House tradition since 1878, when President Rutherford B. Hayes allowed children to roll eggs on the South Lawn.

Obama, left, and first lady Michelle Obama, right, tango with dancers during a state dinner in Buenos Aires on March 23, 2016.

Obama, left, and first lady Michelle Obama, right, tango with dancers during a state dinner in Buenos Aires on March 23, 2016.

Cuban President Raul Castro tries to lift up Obama's arm at the end of a joint news conference in Havana, Cuba, on March 21, 2016. Obama became the first sitting U.S. President to visit Cuba since 1928, and he called for the U.S. embargo against Cuba to be lifted.

The Obamas greet Virginia McLaurin, 106, before a White House reception celebrating African-American History Month on February 18, 2016. McLaurin was so excited that she started dancing, and the video went viral.

Obama cries as he talks about the victims of the Sandy Hook school shooting during a White House news conference on January 5, 2016. "Every time I think about those kids, it gets me mad," he said, referring to the 2012 massacre that killed 26 people in Connecticut. Obama, calling for a national "sense of urgency," unveiled a series of executive actions on guns, including expanded background checks.

The President and the first lady meet R2-D2 and a stormtrooper for a White House screening of the new "Star Wars" movie on December 18, 2015.

The President and the first lady meet R2-D2 and a stormtrooper for a White House screening of the new "Star Wars" movie on December 18, 2015.

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld knocks on the Oval Office window December 7, 2015, during a taping of his series "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee." The two drove around the White House in a 1963 Corvette Stingray, drank coffee and talked politics in the episode.

Obama holds Ella Rhodes, daughter of Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes, in the Oval Office on October 30, 2015. She was wearing an elephant costume for a Halloween event at the White House.

Obama holds Ella Rhodes, daughter of Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes, in the Oval Office on October 30, 2015. She was wearing an elephant costume for a Halloween event at the White House.

Obama was playing golf in La Jolla, California, where a wedding ceremony was about to begin on October 11, 2015. "The bride and groom were waiting inside, but when they looked out the window and saw the President, they decided to make their way outside," White House photographer Pete Souza said. Souza sent a copy of the photograph to the couple, Brian and Stephanie Tobe. "Both wrote back to me that they were extremely grateful to have the President 'crash' their wedding."

The President and first lady escort Pope Francis back inside the White House after an arrival ceremony on September 23, 2015. The Pope was on a six-day visit of the United States that also scheduled stops in New York and Philadelphia.

Obama greets audience members after speaking in Nairobi, Kenya, on July 26, 2015. He was making his first visit to his father's homeland as commander in chief.

Obama greets audience members after speaking in Nairobi, Kenya, on July 26, 2015. He was making his first visit to his father's homeland as commander in chief.

Obama sings "Amazing Grace" during services honoring the life of South Carolina state Sen. Clementa Pinckney on June 26, 2015. Pinckney was one of nine people killed in a church shooting in Charleston, South Carolina.

Obama takes a photo with the "Racing Presidents" of the Washington Nationals baseball team on June 11, 2015. The mascots, which race at every Nationals home game, represent former U.S. Presidents -- from left, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, William Howard Taft, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. "The President asked the Secret Service to stop the motorcade when he spotted The Racing Presidents," White House Photographer Pete Souza said.

Obama takes a photo with the "Racing Presidents" of the Washington Nationals baseball team on June 11, 2015. The mascots, which race at every Nationals home game, represent former U.S. Presidents -- from left, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, William Howard Taft, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. "The President asked the Secret Service to stop the motorcade when he spotted The Racing Presidents," White House Photographer Pete Souza said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel talks with Obama near the Bavarian Alps on June 8, 2015. Obama and other world leaders were in Germany for the annual G-7 Summit. "Merkel asked the leaders and outreach guests to make their way to a bench for a group photograph," White House Photographer Pete Souza said. "The President happened to sit down first, followed closely by the Chancellor. I only had time to make a couple of frames before the background was cluttered with other people."

Obama speaks next to comedian Keegan-Michael Key, who is playing Luther, "Obama's anger translator," at the annual dinner of the White House Correspondents' Association on April 25, 2015. See the top 10 jokes from the dinner

Obama delivers remarks at the Edmund Pettis Bridge on the 50th anniversary of "Bloody Sunday," when marchers were brutally beaten in Selma, Alabama, as they demonstrated for voting rights in 1965.

Obama hugs Ebola survivor Nina Pham in the Oval Office on October 24, 2014. Pham, one of two Dallas nurses diagnosed with the virus, was declared Ebola-free after being treated at a hospital in Bethesda, Maryland. The other nurse, Amber Vinson, was treated in Atlanta and also declared Ebola-free.

Obama hugs Ebola survivor Nina Pham in the Oval Office on October 24, 2014. Pham, one of two Dallas nurses diagnosed with the virus, was declared Ebola-free after being treated at a hospital in Bethesda, Maryland. The other nurse, Amber Vinson, was treated in Atlanta and also declared Ebola-free.

Obama visits Stonehenge on September 5, 2014. White House photographer Pete Souza recalled that day: "We were at the NATO summit in Wales when someone mentioned to the President that Stonehenge wasn't that far away. 'Let's go,' he said. So when the summit ended, we took a slight detour on the way back to Air Force One."

Obama visits Stonehenge on September 5, 2014. White House photographer Pete Souza recalled that day: "We were at the NATO summit in Wales when someone mentioned to the President that Stonehenge wasn't that far away. 'Let's go,' he said. So when the summit ended, we took a slight detour on the way back to Air Force One."

Obama leaves the White House briefing room after speaking about various topics on August 28, 2014. But the reaction on Twitter was largely focused on his rarely worn tan suit.

The President delivers a statement on the unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, on August 18, 2014. The St. Louis suburb was in turmoil after Darren Wilson, a white police officer, fatally shot Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager. "Ours is a nation of laws: of citizens who live under them and for the citizens who enforce them," Obama said. "So, to a community in Ferguson that is rightly hurting and looking for answers, let me call once again for us to seek some understanding rather than simply holler at each other. Let's seek to heal rather than to wound each other."

Obama tries out a driving simulator July 15, 2014, as he tours the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center in McLean, Virginia. The simulator was meant to demonstrate the types of "smart" vehicles being developed at the center.

Obama tries out a driving simulator July 15, 2014, as he tours the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center in McLean, Virginia. The simulator was meant to demonstrate the types of "smart" vehicles being developed at the center.

The President sits for a 3-D-printed bust being produced by the Smithsonian Institution on June 9, 2014. See the final product from the White House Maker Faire, which highlighted the importance of 3-D printing and other technologies that help people design and build new things.

Obama, center, walks with the parents of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl after making a statement about Bergdahl's release on May 31, 2014. Bergdahl had been held captive in Afghanistan for nearly five years, and the Taliban released him in exchange for five U.S.-held prisoners.

Obama slides across a counter to pose with staff members at a Shake Shack restaurant in Washington on May 16, 2014. Vice President Joe Biden, lower right, also did the same. "The President normally does a group photo with restaurant staff when he stops for lunch or dinner," White House Photographer Pete Souza said.

Obama slides across a counter to pose with staff members at a Shake Shack restaurant in Washington on May 16, 2014. Vice President Joe Biden, lower right, also did the same. "The President normally does a group photo with restaurant staff when he stops for lunch or dinner," White House Photographer Pete Souza said.

Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron pose for a selfie with Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt during Nelson Mandela's memorial service in Johannesburg on December 10, 2013. Some thought it was tasteless, considering the occasion.

Advisers Ben Rhodes, left, and Tony Blinken show their approval as Obama discusses Iran negotiations with Secretary of State John Kerry on November 23, 2013. Two years later, after arduous talks that spanned 20 months, negotiators reached a landmark deal aimed at reining in Iran's nuclear program. The essential idea behind the deal is that in exchange for limits on its nuclear activities, Iran would get relief from sanctions while being allowed to continue its atomic program for peaceful purposes.

Bo, one of the Obamas' dogs, hangs out in the Outer Oval Office as the President begins his day on November 6, 2013. "Each morning, the President always enters through this door rather than the direct outside door to the Oval Office," White House photographer Pete Souza said.

Bo, one of the Obamas' dogs, hangs out in the Outer Oval Office as the President begins his day on November 6, 2013. "Each morning, the President always enters through this door rather than the direct outside door to the Oval Office," White House photographer Pete Souza said.

Obama and the first lady tour an old slave house on Senegal's Goree Island on June 27, 2013. It was part of a three-nation tour in Africa. "For an African-American -- and an African-American President -- to be able to visit this site, I think (it) gives me even greater motivation in terms of the defense of human rights around the world," Obama said.

Obama looks to see if it's still raining at a White House news conference on May 16, 2013.

Obama looks to see if it's still raining at a White House news conference on May 16, 2013.

Obama and four former U.S. Presidents attend the dedication of the George W. Bush Presidential Center and Museum on April 25, 2013. From left are Obama, Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter.

Obama and four former U.S. Presidents attend the dedication of the George W. Bush Presidential Center and Museum on April 25, 2013. From left are Obama, Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter.

The President takes a tour of the ancient city of Petra during a visit to Jordan on March 23, 2013. He was accompanied by a University of Jordan tourism professor, and all other visitors kept well away -- except for a few stray cats.

Obama takes the oath of office during his swearing-in ceremony on January 21, 2013. He is the 17th President to win a second term.

Obama takes the oath of office during his swearing-in ceremony on January 21, 2013. He is the 17th President to win a second term.

Obama pretends to be caught in Spider-Man's web as he interacts with Nicholas Tamarin, 3, just outside the Oval Office on October 26, 2012. Nicholas, son of White House aide Nate Tamarin, had been out trick-or-treating. "The President told me that this was his favorite picture of the year when he saw it hanging in the West Wing a couple of weeks later," White House photographer Pete Souza said.

Obama pretends to be caught in Spider-Man's web as he interacts with Nicholas Tamarin, 3, just outside the Oval Office on October 26, 2012. Nicholas, son of White House aide Nate Tamarin, had been out trick-or-treating. "The President told me that this was his favorite picture of the year when he saw it hanging in the West Wing a couple of weeks later," White House photographer Pete Souza said.

Obama faces off with Mitt Romney at a presidential debate in Hempstead, New York, on October 16, 2012. Obama was re-elected with 332 electoral votes to Romney's 206.

The Obamas take in the Chicago skyline on June 15, 2012. The Obamas lived in Chicago before he was President, and they still own a home there.

The Obamas take in the Chicago skyline on June 15, 2012. The Obamas lived in Chicago before he was President, and they still own a home there.

Obama congratulates cadets as they receive their diplomas from the U.S. Air Force Academy on May 23, 2012.

Obama congratulates cadets as they receive their diplomas from the U.S. Air Force Academy on May 23, 2012.

During an event on April 18, 2012, Obama looks out of the famous Rosa Parks bus that was restored by the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. "I just sat in there for a moment and pondered the courage and tenacity that is part of our very recent history but is also part of that long line of folks who sometimes are nameless, oftentimes didn't make the history books, but who constantly insisted on their dignity, their share of the American dream," the President said.

During an event on April 18, 2012, Obama looks out of the famous Rosa Parks bus that was restored by the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. "I just sat in there for a moment and pondered the courage and tenacity that is part of our very recent history but is also part of that long line of folks who sometimes are nameless, oftentimes didn't make the history books, but who constantly insisted on their dignity, their share of the American dream," the President said.

Obama does pushups on the White House basketball court after a member of the Harlem Globetrotters made a shot on April 9, 2012.

Obama does pushups on the White House basketball court after a member of the Harlem Globetrotters made a shot on April 9, 2012.

Obama shakes the prosthetic hand of Army Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Arthur Petry on July 12, 2011. Petry was at the White House to receive the Medal of Honor. The Army Ranger lost his hand while tossing an enemy grenade away from fellow soldiers in Afghanistan.

Obama greets Hugh Hills, 85, in front of Hills' tornado-damaged home in Joplin, Missouri, on May 29, 2011. It was the deadliest tornado to hit American soil since the National Weather Service began keeping records in 1950. Nearly 160 people were killed.

During his state visit to England, Obama was also able to meet with Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. The first couple gave the queen a handmade leather-bound album with rare memorabilia and photographs that highlighted the visit by her parents -- King George VI and Queen Elizabeth -- to the United States in 1939. To Prince Philip, they gave a custom-made set of pony bits and shanks and a set of horseshoes worn by a recently retired champion carriage horse. The Obamas were given copies of letters in the royal archives from a number of U.S. presidents to Queen Victoria. Michelle Obama also was given an antique broach in the form of roses made of gold and red coral.

Obama and the first lady enjoy a glass of Guinness as they visit his ancestral home of Moneygall, Ireland, on May 23, 2011. Moneygall is believed to be the birthplace of one of his great-great-great grandfathers.

Obama and members of his national security team monitor the mission against Osama bin Laden on May 1, 2011. "Fourteen people crammed into the room, the President sitting in a folding chair on the corner of the table's head," said CNN's Peter Bergen as he relived the bin Laden raid five years later. "They sat in this room until the SEALs returned to Afghanistan." (Editor's note: The classified document in front of Hillary Clinton was obscured by the White House.)

Obama talks with Vice President Joe Biden after a teleconference call about Libya on April 5, 2011. Obama committed U.S. forces to the U.N.-authorized mission in Libya, and he told the American people there were strategic and moral reasons to act. Failure to do so, he said, would have allowed Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi to unleash his military on his own people.

The first family tours the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro on March 19, 2011. Obama visited Brazil, Chile and El Salvador during his trip to Latin America.

The first family tours the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro on March 19, 2011. Obama visited Brazil, Chile and El Salvador during his trip to Latin America.

Obama prays in the Oval Office with co-chairs of the National Prayer Breakfast on January 27, 2011. From left are U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, U.S. Rep. Tom Coburn, U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, Obama, former Arizona Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick and U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor.

Obama prays in the Oval Office with co-chairs of the National Prayer Breakfast on January 27, 2011. From left are U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, U.S. Rep. Tom Coburn, U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, Obama, former Arizona Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick and U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor.

The President greets U.S. troops after an unannounced flight to Afghanistan on December 3, 2010. The U.S. combat mission ended in Afghanistan in December 2014, but American troops remain in the country to support Afghan forces and counterterrorism operations.

Obama hosted a working dinner with Mideast leaders on September 1, 2010. With Obama, from left, are Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Jordan's King Abdullah II. Obama said he was "cautiously hopeful" that talks could achieve a two-state solution to the long-running Mideast conflict.

The President puts his toe on a scale as White House travel director Marvin Nicholson tries to weigh himself in Austin, Texas, on August 8, 2010.

The President puts his toe on a scale as White House travel director Marvin Nicholson tries to weigh himself in Austin, Texas, on August 8, 2010.

Obama takes questions at the G-20 Summit in Toronto on June 27, 2010. "We came to Toronto with three specific goals: to make sure the global (economic) recovery is strong and durable; to continue reforming the financial system; and to address the range of global issues that affect our prosperity and security. And we made progress in each of these areas," Obama said.

Obama takes questions at the G-20 Summit in Toronto on June 27, 2010. "We came to Toronto with three specific goals: to make sure the global (economic) recovery is strong and durable; to continue reforming the financial system; and to address the range of global issues that affect our prosperity and security. And we made progress in each of these areas," Obama said.

Obama takes the stage on a rainy day outside of Chicago on May 31, 2010. He was scheduled to give a Memorial Day speech. "When the lightning began, the Secret Service told the President that it was too dangerous to proceed," White House photographer Pete Souza said. "He took the stage by himself and informed the audience that his speech was canceled and that for everyone's safety, they should return to their buses. Later, he boarded a few of the buses to thank them for attending and apologized for not being able to speak."

Obama takes the stage on a rainy day outside of Chicago on May 31, 2010. He was scheduled to give a Memorial Day speech. "When the lightning began, the Secret Service told the President that it was too dangerous to proceed," White House photographer Pete Souza said. "He took the stage by himself and informed the audience that his speech was canceled and that for everyone's safety, they should return to their buses. Later, he boarded a few of the buses to thank them for attending and apologized for not being able to speak."

Obama signs the Affordable Care Act -- his health care overhaul -- on March 23, 2010. It was the biggest expansion of health care guarantees in more than four decades, and it represented a significant step toward the goal of universal coverage, which has been sought by every Democratic President since Harry Truman.

Obama calls a member of Congress to discuss health care reform on March 19, 2010. A bill passed the Senate in December 2009, but there were intense negotiations before it could pass the House. The bill passed 219-212 after more than a year of bitter partisan debate. All 178 Republicans opposed it, along with 34 Democrats.

Obama calls a member of Congress to discuss health care reform on March 19, 2010. A bill passed the Senate in December 2009, but there were intense negotiations before it could pass the House. The bill passed 219-212 after more than a year of bitter partisan debate. All 178 Republicans opposed it, along with 34 Democrats.

The President talks on a cell phone as he steps off Marine One in Baltimore on January 29, 2010.

The President talks on a cell phone as he steps off Marine One in Baltimore on January 29, 2010.

Obama poses with a diploma and gold medal after accepting the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway, on December 10, 2009. The Norwegian Nobel Committee said it honored Obama for his "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples." Obama was the fourth U.S. President to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson and Jimmy Carter also received the award.

Obama salutes during the dignified transfer of Army Sgt. Dale R. Griffin on October 29, 2009. The President traveled to an Air Force base in Dover, Delaware, to meet a plane carrying the bodies of 18 Americans killed in Afghanistan.

Obama salutes during the dignified transfer of Army Sgt. Dale R. Griffin on October 29, 2009. The President traveled to an Air Force base in Dover, Delaware, to meet a plane carrying the bodies of 18 Americans killed in Afghanistan.

Obama stands on stage before delivering remarks to service members in Jacksonville, Florida, on October 26, 2009. "Of all the privileges I have as President, I have no greater honor than serving as your commander in chief," Obama said in his speech.

Obama stands on stage before delivering remarks to service members in Jacksonville, Florida, on October 26, 2009. "Of all the privileges I have as President, I have no greater honor than serving as your commander in chief," Obama said in his speech.

Sasha Obama hides behind an Oval Office sofa as she sneaks up on her father on August 5, 2009. Sasha was 7 when her father took office. Malia was 10. See more pictures of Malia and Sasha Obama since their father was elected President

Obama places a flower at the Buchenwald Memorial as he visits the former concentration camp in Germany on June 5, 2009.

Obama places a flower at the Buchenwald Memorial as he visits the former concentration camp in Germany on June 5, 2009.

Obama tours the Great Pyramid and Sphinx in Giza, Egypt, on June 4, 2009. In a speech at Cairo University, Obama pledged to "seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world," imploring America and the Islamic world to drop their suspicions of one another and forge new alliances.

The President returns to the Oval Office after going on a hamburger run for West Wing staffers and aides on May 29, 2009.

The President returns to the Oval Office after going on a hamburger run for West Wing staffers and aides on May 29, 2009.

Obama kisses Sonia Sotomayor after announcing her as a Supreme Court nominee on Tuesday, May 26. Sotomayor went on to become the court's first Hispanic justice.

A boy touches Obama's hair in the Oval Office on May 8, 2009. "A temporary White House staffer, Carlton Philadelphia, brought his family to the Oval Office for a farewell photo with President Obama," White House photographer Pete Souza said. "Carlton's son softly told the President he had just gotten a haircut like President Obama, and asked if he could feel the President's head to see if it felt the same as his."

A boy touches Obama's hair in the Oval Office on May 8, 2009. "A temporary White House staffer, Carlton Philadelphia, brought his family to the Oval Office for a farewell photo with President Obama," White House photographer Pete Souza said. "Carlton's son softly told the President he had just gotten a haircut like President Obama, and asked if he could feel the President's head to see if it felt the same as his."

Obama acknowledges applause before addressing a joint session of Congress for the first time on February 24, 2009. The President focused on the three priorities of the budget he presented to Congress later in the week: energy, health care and education.

Vice President Joe Biden watches Obama sign the economic stimulus bill on February 17, 2009. The goal was to stimulate the country's staggering economy by increasing federal spending and cutting taxes.

Obama speaks with aides in the White House Oval Office on February 4, 2009. From left are Senior Advisor Pete Rouse, White House Director of Legislative Affairs Phil Schiliro, Senior Advisor David Axelrod, National Economic Council Director Lawrence Summers and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.

Obama speaks with aides in the White House Oval Office on February 4, 2009. From left are Senior Advisor Pete Rouse, White House Director of Legislative Affairs Phil Schiliro, Senior Advisor David Axelrod, National Economic Council Director Lawrence Summers and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.

The Obamas share a moment on a freight elevator as they head to one of the inaugural balls on January 20, 2009. "It was quite chilly, so the President removed his tuxedo jacket and put it over the shoulders of his wife," White House photographer Pete Souza said. "Then they had a semi-private moment as staff members and Secret Service agents tried not to look."

The Obamas share a moment on a freight elevator as they head to one of the inaugural balls on January 20, 2009. "It was quite chilly, so the President removed his tuxedo jacket and put it over the shoulders of his wife," White House photographer Pete Souza said. "Then they had a semi-private moment as staff members and Secret Service agents tried not to look."

Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States on January 20, 2009. Click through the gallery to see 100 moments from his administration.

Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States on January 20, 2009. Click through the gallery to see 100 moments from his administration.

And he's hastening his efforts to reduce the prison sentences for hundreds of non-violent drug offenders after his replacement campaigned as a strict enforcer of law and order.

Despite Obama's own efforts to convince the incoming president to maintain his policies, little of his legacy remains certain. Through his Cabinet selections, Trump has conveyed a deeply conservative streak that bears little resemblance with Obama's own governing agenda.

While certain rules and regulations advanced during Obama's eight years in office will be difficult to undo, the underpinnings of his environmental, foreign and justice agendas remain rooted in executive action that's subject to scrapping by his successor.

"Guantanamo, environmental regulations and criminal justice reform are all three issues that have been very important to him as a president," said Julian Zelizer, a presidential historian at Princeton and a CNN contributor. "They're all issues that he's talked about a lot and that he's attempted to get action on, but all three are issues where he's been extraordinarily frustrated and unable to really move Congress."

Obama himself acknowledged on the campaign trail this fall that a Trump presidency would bode poorly for his top achievements, including his work on climate and global diplomacy. In his actions this week, Obama is moving toward more permanent solutions, though it's now clear his ambitions won't be fully realized by the time he departs office in January.

JUST WATCHED Obama pulls trump card, announces drilling ban Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Obama pulls trump card, announces drilling ban 03:42

Drilling ban

In a bid to cement his environmental record, Obama Tuesday used a 63-year-old law to indefinitely restrict future leases for oil drilling in the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, a sweeping move that would likely spark a legal challenge should Trump attempt to reverse it.

Throughout his presidency, Obama has used executive authority to protect wide swaths of US land and water from development, including around Midway Atoll in the Pacific, multiple mountain ranges in the West, and areas of the North Atlantic. He's also used executive action to limit carbon emissions, though the centerpiece of that effort remains mired in a legal challenge.

Trump, who has previously deemed climate change a hoax and threatened US withdrawal from international environmental agreements, isn't expected to continue Obama's approach. He's named a climate change denier, Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, as his EPA administrator, and tapped an oilman, ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson, as his secretary of state.

The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 6, 2012

In private phone conversations, Obama himself has lobbied Trump to confront climate change aggressively. But Tuesday's drilling ban reveals there's little confidence in Trump to advance the types of conservation policies Obama has championed.

"This action has the force of law. There is no authority for a future president to withdraw it," said one senior administration official, speaking anonymously to characterize the President's thinking.

Incoming and outgoing administrations have long quarreled about last-minute White House moves designed to enact policies that run counter to a new President's plans. When President George W. Bush was leaving office, he introduced so-called "midnight regulations" that loosened restrictions on coal plant emissions and allowed concealed weapons to be carried in national parks.

Obama's team worked to stop some of the rules which hadn't yet been finalized by the time they took office. But many were already in place, forcing a long process of reversal.

Republican lawmakers in the House this year passed a measure that would have allowed Congress to overturn any "midnight regulation" with a single vote. Obama vowed to veto the bill, though it never made it to his desk because the measure never came up for a vote in the Senate.

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JUST WATCHED Can Obama succeed in closing Gitmo? Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Can Obama succeed in closing Gitmo? 02:17

Closing Gitmo

Congress has been successful in blocking Obama's longstanding attempts to close the Guantanamo Bay naval prison, which he promised to shutter early in his tenure. Because lawmakers barred moving detainees to the United States, Obama has been forced to find countries willing to house the accused terrorists.

A congressional official told CNN that they received notice Monday of the White House's intention to transfer additional detainees before Obama leaves office. The notification came on the last day possible, as the administration is legally required to provide Congress with 30 days notice prior to transferring any of the on facility's detainees.

Of the 59 prisoners remaining at Guantanamo, 22 are currently eligible for transfer, according to the Pentagon. Congressional officials would not say exactly how many the administration is seeking to transfer, although one official said it would be fewer than the 22 who are eligible.

That means Obama is certain to leave office with at least some detainees remaining at Guantanamo, including nearly 50 who are deemed too dangerous to transfer to other countries. But White House officials insist that as fewer and fewer prisoners remain there, the more expensive the prison will become to operate and the more likely Congress will be to loosen its restrictions.

Trump, however, has promised to resume sending terrorists to the outpost, providing little optimism the facility will close in the near term.

"The politics of fear has led Congress to prevent any detainees from being transferred to prisons in the United States," Obama told US troops earlier this month in Florida. "Until Congress changes course, it will be judged harshly by history, and I will continue to do all that I can to remove this blot on our national honor."

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Pardon power

Like his predecessors, Obama is relying during his final weeks in office on his clemency power, one of the most powerful unilateral tools of the presidency. Unlike Bush or President Bill Clinton, however, Obama is reducing sentences and pardoning individuals on a massive scale meant to instill fairness into the criminal justice system.

On Monday, Obama issued 231 total acts of clemency, a US record for any single day. It brings him to 1,324 commutations or pardons, a number that far exceeds other two-term presidents. Neil Eggleston, the White House counsel, said he didn't expect the large batch to be Obama's last.

"I expect that the President will issue more grants of both commutations and pardons before he leaves office," he wrote in a blog post on the White House's website

The clemency program has been a hallmark of Obama's push toward criminal justice reform, but Trump has shown few signs he's willing to continue that effort. Even White House officials concede that little will be accomplished if Congress isn't willing to take action on reducing mandatory minimum sentences for drug crimes.

And while Trump won't be able to reverse Obama's pardons and commutations -- those moves, unlike his executive actions, are without question permanent -- they do illustrate the President's limitations in executing his last-minute legacy push.

"It's rare that in your final days you can do anything to build your legacy," said Zelizer. "This is in some ways about the President's own personal legacy, and trying to make progress on some issues that have frustrated him over the years because Congress wouldn't act, and to do it for himself as much as for historians and how the public thinks of him."