The photo appears to have been first misleadingly shared by a woman named Emma Kennedy, from London. “We are all the White House staff watching Obama welcome Trump as next president,” she tweeted with Wednesday’s photo.
— Emma Kennedy (@Nufanglenesse) November 10, 2016
After her tweet went viral, many other users began using the photo for their own tweets, describing it as a photo of a sad White House staff watching President Obama welcome Trump for their meeting on Thursday.
— Terry #45 (@xebec78) November 10, 2016
— Michael Wittmann (@wittmann1488) November 10, 2016
The photo was actually taken when President Obama spoke from the Rose Garden the day before, congratulating Trump on winning the election. Trump was not present at the White House for that particular event.
— LuisGetsMeWetter (@Domini_boii) November 10, 2016
Viral claims about the photo were quickly debunked by Politico’s senior White House reporter Edward-Isaac Dovere, who was present for the meeting between Trump and Obama.
— Edward-Isaac Dovere (@IsaacDovere) November 10, 2016
The meeting is said to have gone well, and Trump called Obama a “very good man” at its conclusion.
Despite jabs thrown as he was on the campaign trail for Trump’s former opponent, President Obama told the president-elect that he wants him to succeed and will do everything he can to ensure a smooth transition of power.
— Jeff Mason (@jeffmason1) November 10, 2016
"If you succeed, the country succeeds," Obama said.
