White House says transition meeting with Clinton, Trump advisers was ‘even-handed’

The White House said Friday that President Obama’s top advisers conducted an “even-handed” transition meeting with representatives of presidential nominees Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, even though Mr. Obama is rooting for Mrs. Clinton.

“The president and his team are determined to being even-handed in planning for a presidential transition,” said White House press secretary Josh Earnest. “That’s what the American people would expect of their president.”

Mr. Obama has been highly critical of Mr. Trump, saying he is “unfit” to serve as president.

Mr. Trump was represented at the meeting Thursday by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who is chairman of the Republican nominee’s transition team. Mrs. Clinton was represented by her transition chairman, former Interior Secretary Ken Salazar. Each side brought several people.

Among the Obama White House officials were chief of staff Denis McDonough, national security adviser Susan E. Rice, Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper and Lisa Monaco, the president’s homeland security adviser.

Mr. Earnest said the tone of the meeting “reflected the seriousness of the topic.”

“I think everybody who was around the table understands the serious responsibility that they have to ensure the smooth and effective transition from the 44th president to the 45th president,” he said.

Mr. Earnest credited Republican President George W. Bush and his team for preparing a smooth transition for Mr. Obama, and said Mr. Obama is determined to provide the same guidance to his successor, regardless of party.

“They prepared for a transition in an even-handed way and was able to even work effectively with an incoming Democratic administration that was predicated on bringing change to Washington and changing many of the policies that President Bush had advocated,” he said.

The president’s spokesman said the transition meeting was not focused on policy, but on “the administrative process of bringing people on-board and eventually preparing them to assume significant responsibilities in the federal government.”