Obama Deploying Dozen-Strong Team to ‘Keep Tabs’ on Trump Administration

ap_barack-obama_ap-photo34-wi-e1446309401986

Barack Obama has reportedly deployed a team to “keep tabs” on the Trump administration and attempt to preserve his legacy, according to the Huffington Post.

Since leaving office in January, the former president has tried to emulate the example of George. W. Bush by not commenting on actions taken by the new administration. Jen Psaki, Obama’s former communications director, recently said that “Obama’s inclination would be to follow the Bush model as a person.”

That resolve was broken this weekend as Obama responded to allegations from Donald Trump that he had wiretapped Trump Tower in the run-up to the last election, with his spokesman Kevin Lewis maintaining that “neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen” and that “any suggestion otherwise is simply false.”

Also, following Donald Trump’s first executive order temporarily halting immigration from seven terror prone countries, Obama released a statement stating that he “fundamentally disagrees with the notion of discriminating against individuals because of their faith.”

However, White House spokesperson Michael Short accused Obama of displaying a lack of courtesy, telling the Huffington Post, “It is disappointing that [Obama] isn’t affording President Trump the same courtesy that his predecessor showed toward him.”

Despite his pledge not to interfere, Obama reportedly has deployed a team of over a dozen operatives to “keep tabs on the unreported stories” relating to himself and the Trump administration. They work from an office in Washington D.C.

Obama has also participated in a “regular conference call” with his former aides, as well as making regular calls to Democrats in Congress, party leaders, and grassroots organizations. Organizing for Action (OFA), the nonprofit group heavily involved in Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign, has partnered with the newly-formed Indivisible Project for “online training” on how to protest President Donald Trump’s agenda.

“For President Obama, this next chapter of his public service will focus on his core principle of grassroots engagement. This was previewed in his farewell address to the country, and has animated in his entire career in public life,” said Obama’s spokesperson Eric Schultz.

You can follow Ben Kew on Facebook, on Twitter at @ben_kew, or email him at bkew@breitbart.com

COMMENTS

Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.