White House confirms Obama has held more talks with Trump

President Barack Obama has spoken with President-elect Donald Trump “at least once” since the two men met earlier this month inside the Oval Office, White House press secretary Josh Earnest confirmed Tuesday afternoon.

Earnest said the White House would not provide a readout of conversations between the president and his successor, just as it has not when Obama has spoken privately to his predecessors. He said there is a “president-to-president prerogative that we’re trying to protect.”

“In the same way that I protected the ability of President Obama to consult confidentially with other senior officials, including some former presidents, I’m not going to read out or confirm every reported meeting or phone call or conversation,” Earnest said. “I can tell you that the president has had a conversation with the president-elect since the Oval Office meeting.”

That the two men have spoken again in the days since their first meeting was first reported Monday by multiple outlets, including POLITICO, when Trump said as much during an off-the-record meeting with multiple TV news executives and anchors. The president-elect was effusive in his praise of Obama, according to a source in the room, adding that he had spoken to the president at least twice since their White House meeting.

According to the source, Trump had said he had never met Obama before the White House meeting and that he didn’t think he would like him. Trump said that he ended up liking Obama "so much," and that he had so much respect for him.

"The feeling is mutual, because it takes two to tango," Trump said, according to the source.

Trump then told the group that he had subsequently spoken with Obama on the phone. One attendee asked who placed the call, and Trump responded that one time he called Obama and another time Obama called him.

“Those of you who covered the president-elect’s visit to the Oval Office a couple of weeks ago, you took note of the fact that the president-elect indicated his desire to continue to consult with President Obama over the course of the transition,” Earnest said. “You’ve also heard President Obama indicate the high priority he has placed on facilitating a smooth and effective transition. So, reports that the two may have talked after their White House meeting, I think are not particularly surprising.”

Hadas Gold contributed to this report.

