What awkward meeting? Trump congratulates himself on 'really good meeting and great CHEMISTRY' with 'good man' Obama after pair met for first time

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President-elect Donald Trump says his first meeting with President Barack Obama at the White House was 'fantastic' and boasted of their 'great chemistry'.

The pair spoke for more than 90 minutes in the Oval Office on Thursday while their wives visited separately.

'A fantastic day in D.C. Met with President Obama for first time. Really good meeting, great chemistry,' Trump tweeted on Thursday night.

'Melania liked Mrs. O a lot!' he added. 

A public display of unity intended to help the country digest the shocking results of Tuesday's presidential election, the president-elect called Obama a 'very good man' in an Oval Office statement after the meeting. 

'I very much look forward to dealing with the president in the future, including counsel,' he said. 'He explained some of the difficulties some of the high flying assets, some of the really great things that have been achieved.'

The sitting president stressed that his top priority was 'ensure our president-elect is successful.'

President-elect Donald Trump and current President Barack Obama and an hour-long meeting at the White House on Thursday morning. Trump later tweeted the meeting was 'fantastic' and that the pair had 'great chemistry'

'I have been very encouraged by the interest in President-elect Trump to work with my team around many of the issues that this great country faces and I believe that it is important for all regardless of party and regardless of political preferences to now come together, work together to deal with the many challenges we face,' he said.

The president-elect and the first lady in waiting, Melania Trump arrived at the White House on Thursday morning through a back entrance that opens up to the White House's South Lawn. 

The private drive is inaccessible to media, and reporters were disallowed from covering the historic greeting between the incoming and outgoing first families. 

A Wall Street Journal report says the White House cancelled the photo-op. The president's spokesman forcefully pushed back on the assertion in his daily briefing.

'That's not true,' he said.

The pair shook hands during a photo-op following their one-on-one meeting in which they discussed policies

 Trump described Obama as a 'very good' man when the meeting was finished as a pack of reporters hurled questions at the pair

Obama said that he was 'encouraged' by the conversation he had with Trump on Wednesday morning

Trump and Obama addressed the press with short comments about their meeting following their hour-and-a-half long talk

Trump called the meeting a 'great honor' and noted that he had never met President Obama before Wednesday's meeting

Trump said he walked in thinking the meeting would only last '15 minutes' but concluded by the end that it could have gone on 'much longer'

Trump told reporters of Obama: 'I very much look forward to dealing with the president in the future, including counsel'

Obama and Trump were surrounded by dozens of photographers and press members following their meeting in the Oval Office

The White House official angrily told reporters that they were given more access to today's events at the White House than they were in 2008, when the Oval Office last changed hands.

Then, journalists were allowed to photograph the Obamas arrival at the White House.

President George W Bush and his wife Laura gave the future first couple a warm welcome when they came to the White House on November 11, 2008 for a post-election briefing. 

The Bushes made a show of it, posing for portraits with the president-elect and his wife in front of the White House's private entrance. Bush lined up photographers to shoot he and Obama walking down the colonnade that leads to the Oval Office.

That did not happen today. No official photos have been released of the Trumps' arrival or departure.

Mr. and Mrs. Trump departed from LaGuardia airport in New York at 9.36am on their way to Washington. Traveling in the billionaire's personal aircraft, a Boeing 757, emblazoned with his name, they arrived at Ronald Reagan National Airport just after 10.30am.

The future first couple entered the White House complex twenty minutes later. Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, owner of the New York Observer and a senior adviser to the president-elect's campaign, was also in tow.

Kushner was seen speaking to White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough and Trump aide Dan Scavino. McDonough and Kushner broke off from the group for a private meeting, raising new questions about the role that Ivanka's husband will have in the Trump administration. 

Kushner acted a right-hand man to Trump and was instrumental in keeping Chris Christie off the Republican ticket. Like his father-in-law, he is a real estate mogul with a lucrative New York business.

Trump's adult children, Ivanka, Eric and Don Jr., have said they would stay in New York and run their father's business. Kushner's presence at the White House today and his meeting with the current chief of staff suggests a possible change of plans for the president-elect's eldest daughter.

Journalists were allowed into the meeting between Obama and Trump at the end for what is known as a 'pool spray' – a photo opportunity where they typically shout questions in hopes of getting a response. As they did that today, Obama advised his successor not to respond.

Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner (pictured behind Trump's campaign press secretary Hope Hicks), owner of the New York Observer and a senior adviser to the president-elect's campaign, was in the Oval Office while Trump and Obama spoke to reporters 

Donald Trump and Paul Ryan had a lunch meeting, and then they met with other GOP leaders at Capitol Hill

Ryan says he and President-elect Donald Trump had a 'fantastic, productive meeting' at the Capitol. Trump called the meeting 'an honor', adding that he thought they were 'going to do some absolutely spectacular things for the American people'

Trump and Melania were given a tour of Capitol Hill by House Speaker Paul Ryan upon arrival on Wednesday afternoon

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (center) met with Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence (left) at around 2.30pm

McConnell showed Pence, Trump and Trump's wife Melania through Capitol Hill on Wednesday afternoon

Trump and Melania walked hand in hand as they followed McConnell to a meeting on Capitol Hill Wednesday afternoon

Pence, Trump and McConnell had a meeting after Trump met with Ryan and other GOP leaders on Capitol Hill

While on Capitol Hill, Trump spoke to the media to tell them he hopes to create 'big league' jobs while in office

Jared Kushner was seen leaving Capitol Hill as part of the Motorcade following Trump's meetings with GOP leaders

Vice President-elect Mike Pence waves as his motorcade arrives at the Capitol Hill Club on Wednesday ahead of his meetings

Following his meeting with Obama, Trump headed over to Capitol Hill (his motorcade pictured above), where he has two meetings

While at Capitol Hill, Trump is lunching with House Speaker Paul Ryan and has another meeting immediately after

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told the media on Wednesday that Obama wants to give Trump the 'opportunity to succeed' at president

Each man delivered a short statement from the Oval Office that reporters were invited to witness – a practice that was followed by this White House, Earnest pointed out today, but was not part of the 2008 meeting between Bush, a Republican, and Obama, a Democrat.

The president spoke first, telling the press, 'I just had the opportunity to have an excellent conversation with President-elect Trump. It was wide-ranging. We talked about some of the organizational issues in setting up the White House.

'We talked about foreign policy and domestic policy. And as I said last night, my number one priority in the coming two months is try to facilitate a transition that ensures the president-elect is successful,' he said. 'In the meantime, Michelle has had a chance to meet the incoming First Lady and they had an excellent conversation as well. We want to make sure they feel welcome as they prepare to make this transition.'

The president added, 'Most of all, I want to emphasize to you, Mr. President-elect, that we now are going to do everything we can to help you succeed because if you succeed then the country succeed.' 

Hands clasped, Trump looked around the room at the reporters gathered there as Obama spoke. When the president finished, he turned his attention to his predecessor and said, 'Well, thank you very much, President Obama.

'This was a meeting that was going to last for maybe ten, or 15 minutes, just get to know each other. We had never met each other. I had great respect. The meeting lasted for almost an hour and a half, and as far as I'm concerned, it could have gone on for a lot longer,' he said.

'We really, we discussed a lot of different situations—some wonderful, and some difficulties,' he said. 'So Mr. President, it was a great honor being with you, and I look forward to being with you many, many more times.'

Following the meeting, Trump senior adviser Dan Scavino tweeted: President Obama's team was very welcoming & cordial to President-elect @realDonaldTrump's team today at the White House. Thank you!!' 

Trump had two meetings on Capitol Hill following his meet-and-greet with Obama. He lunched with House Speaker Paul Ryan House Speaker Paul Ryan and joined Indiana Governor Mike Pence, the vice-president elect, at a meeting with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell after that.

‘We have a lot to do. We're going to work very strongly on immigration, health care and we're looking at jobs, big league jobs,’ Trump told reporters chasing him around Capitol Hill.

 A Marine is standing guard out the entrance to the West Wing, where president-elect Donald Trump and current president Barack Obama are meeting today

As Trump met with Obama, his son-in-law Jared Kushner, who was seen as Trump's de facto campaign manager during the presidential race, met with White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough

Trump aide Dan Scavino (left) and other members of President-elect Donald Trump's staff arrive at the White House as Trump attends a transition planning meeting with Obama

President-elect Donald Trump's motorcade makes its way through Washington, DC, to the White House where he will meet with President Barack Obama

As Trump meets with Obama, First lady Michelle Obama planned to meet privately in the White House residence with Trump's wife, Melania Trump, while Vice President Joe Biden prepared to see Vice President-elect Mike Pence

President-elect Trump waves to the crowd as he steps of his private plane as he arrives in Washington, DC, on Thursday morning

Trump and his wife, Melania, walked off the plane first in Washington, DC, as vice president-elect Mike Pence followed closely behind

President-elect Donald Trump arrives in Washington, DC, for a meeting with current president Barack Obama at the White House

Trump flew into Reagan International Airport in Arlington, Virginia, which is just a 15 to 20 minute drive to the White House

Thursday's Oval Office meeting is the symbolic start of the transition of power from Obama to Trump, who will enter the office in January

While in Washington, DC, Trump also plans to meet with House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, to discuss the GOP legislative agenda

Obama and his wife, Michelle, fiercely challenged Trump as he campaigned for the presidency, branding him a racist, a sexist and a sex abuser at events for Hillary Clinton. Now they must come together with him and prove to the country and the world that America is a shining example of a functioning democracy.

The president's spokesman acknowledged today that they 'obviously have deep disagreements.' 

'Look the president's views haven't changed, he stands by what he said on the campaign trial,' his spokesman said today. 'He had an opportunity to make his argument, he made that argument vigorously, he made that argument in state's all across the country. But the American people decided. '

Earnest added, 'The election is over, the President didn't get to chose his successor, the American people did. And they've chosen President-elect Trump, and President Obama is determined to preside over a transition that gives the incoming President the opportunity to get a running start.'

Today's meeting was expected to last an hour but it did not conclude until 12:30, the start time of Trump's next meeting, with Ryan.

Ryan says he wants to stay on as House Speaker despite his rocky relationship with Trump. The GOP leader endorsed Trump this summer before the nominating convention but rescinded his support after a video emerged of Trump saying he uses his celebrity to grab women by the genitals.

The White House said Wednesday that the sitting president would press the president-elect not to take an ax to all of his key policies. 

The current administration is especially concerned that Trump, who spent the campaign promising to repeal and Obamacare, will cancel millions of Americans' health insurance plans without a new mechanism in place.

Obama's administration is terrified that Trump will immediately round up and deport the illegal immigrant children they said could stay.

The president-elect has been unclear how quickly he'll move on that aspect of his agenda, though he says he will rescind the executive orders Obama issued saying they could remain in the country indefinitely.

Outside the White House Secret Service officers braced for the coming protests. Riot gear and gas masks were on hand in case the confrontations became violent.

Pennsylvania Avenue and the adjacent park were overcome by construction in preparation for the January inauguration. Workers were busy building wooden risers on Thursday morning for the massive number of journalists that will descend on Washington for the festivities. The bullet proof viewing box for the VIPs and members of the new and old administrations will soon be brought in, as well.

Vice President-elect Mike Pence also visited the White House today for a 2.30pm conversation with outgoing Vice President Joe Biden. 

In a twist of irony, basketball player LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavilers was also meeting with the president today at the White House.

Ceremonial farewell:  Two firetrucks sprayed jets of water in the air as Trump's plane taxied at La Guardia airport

Goodbye New York: Trump waved from his armored SUV as he swept out of Trump Tower just after 9.10am

On board: President-elect Trump walked up the rear stairs to his private 757 with his wife Melania (circled) ahead of him. Vice-president elect Mike Pence is also on the trip

Fist lady in waiting steps out: Melania Trump left the armored SUV as she prepared to board the plane to Washington to meet Michelle Obama. Her Secret Service codename is Muse

On his way: When Trump lands in Washington he will meet the president in the Oval Office with Mike Pence, his vice-president-elect at his side. Joe Biden, the vice-president, will also be present

Historic trip: This will be the first meeting between Obama and Trump at the White House - and possibly ever. The pair are never known to have met although they have been in the same rooms

James and his teammates are being honored for their NBA Championship. The professional basketball player appeared with Clinton at a rally in the final days of the race and encouraged his fans not to vote for Trump.

Ohio Governor John Kasich came to Washington with his state’s sports team. 

Kasich was the last remaining Republican presidential candidate in the 2016 race apart from the winner. Kasich boycotted the presidential nominating convention in Cleveland over his differences with the businessman. He refused to endorse Trump after the GOP primary and wrote in John McCain on Election Day. 

Unlike Trump, he held a brief news conference in front of the building before he departed.

'Today I said my prayers on the plane for the success of Donald Trump,' Kasich told the press. 'I think as Americans we all need to come together because it's the lives of our children.'

Kasich observed that the country's problems 'won't be fixed overnight.'

'What we can all do as Americans is join hands, join arms, say a few prayers for the success of the next President of the United States,' Kasich advised. 'I want to also compliment the president himself, President Obama and also Secretary Clinton.'

The outgoing president and the losing candidate 'were really inspirational in the way in which they embraced the outcome of the election,' he said. 'So for those of you in the streets, think about the fact that America works best when America is united. It doesn't work best when we are divided. That's been my message and it will continue to be my message as we move forward in this new time.'

He declined to comment on the possibility of burying the hatchet with Trump and joining his administration.

'I expect I'll be governor of Ohio for the next two years,' he said. 

The high-profile meeting between Obama and his successor set the White House into a frenzy on Thursday. Staffers continued to mourn what could have been under a President Clinton as they turned their focus to the impending transition.

For the first time in eight years the country will have a new president on January 20, and he will come from the opposing political party. 

Waving goodbye: Airport workers waved and took photographs of the departing president-elect's plane as it made the short journey to Washington

On the move: The president-elect was in a full Secret Service protective motorcade for the first time

Mogul is heading to Washington: POTUS-elect Trump was in a Secret Service armored SUV for the trip to La Guardia airport 

Ambulance too: The use of an emergency medical vehicle in the motorcade puts President-elect Trump's protection at the same level as Obama's

Welomce: President Obama's meeting is the symbolic start of the transition of power

In anticipation of a Clinton win, White House aides seemingly made no plans to hand over the keys Trump.

'There's no specific thing that I have in mind that we're going to do differently now,' White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said after he was asked by a reporter if the administration was building a 'firewall' to protect Obama-era policies. '

Earnest said Wednesday, 'Our plan all along was to ensure the successful implementation of those and other priorities, and we're going to be committed to doing everything we can to ensure the success of those policies between now and January 20th.'

Today, Earnest said the administration would have the same priorities in its last two months in office as it would have 'regardless of the outcome of the election.'

'Whether or not Mr. Trump had emerged victorious from the election, we would be focused on the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and maximizing the opportunity that currently is available to millions of Americans to go to healthcare.gov during the open enrollment period and sign up for health care,' he said.

Trump has said he will dismantle the Democratic president's health care law, deport the 11 million illegal immigrants in the country, negotiate the 12-nation trade deal brokered by the Obama administration and remand the nuclear agreement with Iran.

Previewing the meeting today between the president and the president-elect, Earnest said yesterday that Obama would talk to Trump 'about some of these policies and about some of the benefits of some of these policies.'

'The President-elect's team will have an opportunity to get briefed by the national security experts here in the Obama administration that have been working on implementing these policies. But, ultimately, the President-elect will be the person that is responsible for setting the path of foreign policy for the United States for the next four years,' Earnest said. 

Earnest was tight-lipped Thursday about the president and the president-elect's discussion.

'I'm not going to get into all of the details of their meeting,' he said.  

The anticipated show of civility at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue contrasted with post-election scenes of protests across a politically divided country. 

Demonstrators from New England to the heartland and the West Coast vented against the election winner on Wednesday, chanting 'Not my president,' burning a papier-mache Trump head, beating a Trump pinata and carrying signs that said 'Impeach Trump'. 

Republicans were emboldened by Trump's stunning victory over Hillary Clinton, giving the GOP control of the White House and both chambers of Congress.

'He just earned a mandate,' Ryan said. 

Trump and Obama's meeting is a far cry from how former president George W Bush and his wife Laura greeted the Obamas in November 2008

When the Bushes met with the Obamas shortly after Barack Obama was elected president, George Bush opened their meeting to the press and waiting outside for them to arrive

George W and Laura Bush met with Barack and Michelle Obama on November 11, 2008, days after Obama had been elected the next president

While Trump and Obama are meeting in private and having a photo session afterward, the Bush family opened the meeting to the media from the start

Obama and Bush chatted as they walked through the colonnade at the White House during their meeting eight years ago

In an emotional concession speech, Clinton said her crushing loss was 'painful and it will be for a long time' and acknowledged that the nation was 'more divided than we thought.'

Still, Clinton was gracious in defeat, declaring: 'Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead.'

Trump was uncharacteristically quiet in the aftermath of his triumph and made no public appearances Wednesday. 

He huddled with jubilant, sleep-deprived advisers at his eponymous skyscraper in Manhattan, beginning the daunting task of setting up an administration that will take power in just over two months. 

He also met with Pence and took calls from supporters, family and friends, according to spokeswoman Hope Hicks.

In Washington, Trump's scant transition team sprang into action, culling through personnel lists for top jobs and working through handover plans for government agencies. 

A person familiar with the transition operations said the personnel process was still in its early stages, but Trump's team was putting a premium on quickly filling key national security posts. 

The person was not authorized to discuss details by name and spoke on condition of anonymity.

According to an organizational chart for the transition obtained by The Associated Press, Trump was relying on experienced hands to help form his administration. 

National security planning was being led by former Michigan Rep Mike Rogers, who previously worked for the FBI. Domestic issues were being handled by Ken Blackwell, a former Cincinnati mayor and Ohio secretary of state.

Trump was expected to consider several loyal supporters for top jobs, including former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani for attorney general or national security adviser and campaign finance chairman Steve Mnuchin for Treasury secretary.  

Waiting: Trump was being greeted at Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, by another Secret Service motorcade

Might not be a comfortable meeting: Michelle Obama was last seen on stage on Monday night endorsing Hillary Clinton before her defeat. She will meet Melania Trump in the White House while their husbands talk in the Oval Office

First lady-in-waiting: Melania Trump will have talks with the current First Lady about life in the East Wing. 

Getting ready for Trump power: The White House surroundings are now under construction in preparation for the inauguration in January

On his way: The massive effort to get ready for President Trump is not just inside the West Wing and Oval Office - it is outside in the public areas around the White House 

Yuge effort: The scale of construction works needed for the inauguration means that like transition, they begin now

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Tennessee Sen Bob Corker were also expected to be under consideration for foreign policy posts.

As president-elect, Trump is entitled to get the same daily intelligence briefing as Obama - one that includes information on US covert operations, information gleaned about world leaders and other data gathered by America's 17 intelligence agencies.

The White House said it would organize two exercises involving multiple agencies to help Trump's team learn how to respond to major domestic incidents. 

It's unclear whether Trump will embrace many of the traditions of the presidency. 

He'll enter the White House owning his own private jet as well as a hotel just blocks away on Pennsylvania Avenue. He never allowed journalists to fly on his plane during the campaign, as is customary for White House nominees.

Issues of transparency bubbled up right from the start. On Wednesday evening, Trump aides said they would not bring the press corps to Washington with the president-elect for his meeting with Obama, breaking long-standing protocol.

Trump is heading back to New York this evening with his advisers. The White House says there are no additional meetings on the books between the two presidents despite Trump’s claim that there would be ‘many more’ to come. 

Massive police presence: This was the scene around Trump Tower in New York late on Wednesday night and early on Tuesday morning. 

Protests: Trump's defeat of Hillary Clinton has left the far-left angry and some came to New York's Trump Tower to hang him in effigy 

Cost: The policing bill for the protests, which were unlicensed, will be huge, after NYPD put huge amounts of manpower on the city's streets