Obama visits Germany as concerns grow over President-elect Trump

World Today

Obama visits Germany as concerns grow over President-elect Trump

After Donald Trump won the U.S. election, Barack Obama warned not to take democracy for granted. The U.S. president is in Berlin meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

CCTV’s Guy Henderson reports.Follow Guy Henderson on Twitter @guyhendersonde

There are nerves here that the new man in the Oval Office will turn America inwards and leave Europe exposed.

Barack Obama offered hope to soothe those fears, but little more.

Trump’s willingness to said what others couldn’t or wouldn’t may have won him votes back home.

But it’s made him few friends in Germany.

Chancellor Angela Merkel has been lukewarm in response to his unlikely victory. And makes no secret she’ll be sad to see Obama go.

The night before, the two met for an informal dinner at the president’s hotel.

If frank views about working with a Trump administration were exchanged, they weren’t shared.

Some commentators on this side of the Atlantic had framed this visit as nothing less than handing over the baton of global liberal leadership. Obama said he was cautiously optimistic a president Trump could keep hold of it: ‘the office demands seriousness’ he said. ‘If you’re not serious – you won’t last long.