Obama Speaks

Obama says he may comment as citizen on Trump's presidency

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Image copyrightAP

Image captionMr Obama and Mr Trump met at the White House two days after the election

By convention, former presidents tend to leave the political fray and avoid commenting on their successors.US President Barack Obama has said he may speak out after leaving office if he feels his successor Donald Trump is threatening core American values.

Mr Obama said he would give Mr Trump time to outline his vision but added that, as a private citizen, he might speak out on certain issues.

Mr Trump spent the weekend interviewing candidates for top jobs in his cabinet.

"I want to be respectful of the office and give the president-elect an opportunity to put forward his platform and his arguments without somebody popping off," Mr Obama said at a forum in Lima, Peru.

But, he added, if an issue "goes to core questions about our values and our ideals, and if I think that it's necessary or helpful for me to defend those ideals, then I'll examine it when it comes".

The president described himself as an "American citizen who cares deeply about our country".