--- title: Barack Obama's Letter to Trump Includes 4 Pieces of Advice description: Barack Obama left his successor Donald Trump four pieces of advice in the traditional Oval Office letter. canonical: https://time.com/4926116/barack-obama-letter-to-trump/ author: Alana Abramson article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-09-03T15:14:49.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-08T09:32:36.783Z article:section: Politics og:title: Here's the Advice Obama Gave Trump In His Oval Office Letter og:description: "American leadership in this world really is indispensable" og:url: https://time.com/4926116/barack-obama-letter-to-trump/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0ecc8179b2d905b3/6988b682cf40a80977c46241/trump-inauguration-obama-michelle.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2560 og:image:height: 1440 og:image:alt: Trump Inauguration og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Here's the Advice Obama Gave Trump In His Oval Office Letter twitter:description: "American leadership in this world really is indispensable" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0ecc8179b2d905b3/6988b682cf40a80977c46241/trump-inauguration-obama-michelle.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Barack Obama Offers Trump Advice In Inauguration Letter: 'American Leadership in This World Really is Indispensable’ > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=ce150fee-5b50-4809-a37d-bfdbc8450ed5&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Watch Obama's Sign-Off on His Farewell Speech [Watch (HLS stream): Watch Obama's Sign-Off on His Farewell Speech](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/r847gZSk.m3u8) (0:50)  _Published 2017-01-11. President Barack Obama returned to Chicago, where he began his political career, to deliver his farewell address, which reflected on his time as president and his thoughts on the future of the U.S._  by [Alana Abramson](https://time.com/author/alana-abramson/)  ## Alana Abramson Sep 3, 2017 3:14 PM UTC  by [Alana Abramson](https://time.com/author/alana-abramson/)  ## Alana Abramson Sep 3, 2017 3:14 PM UTC Barack Obama left Donald Trump four pieces of advice in a letter he put in the Oval Office as he was exiting the presidency, urging him to preserve American leadership abroad and safeguard America’s core principles and Democratic institutions, [according to a copy of the letter obtained by CNN](http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/03/politics/obama-trump-letter-inauguration-day/index.html?sr=twCNN090317obama-trump-letter-inauguration-day0846AMStory). It’s the first time the letter, obtained by CNN exclusively, has been publicized. “This is a unique office, without a clear blueprint for success, so I don’t know that any advice from me will be particularly helpful,” Obama began his letter to Trump. “Still, let me offer a few reflections from the past 8 years.” Acknowledging that both he and his successor were “blessed, in different ways, with great good fortune,” Obama urged Trump to consider policies that would advance the ideal of equal opportunity. “It’s up to us to do everything we can (to) build more ladders of success for every child and family that’s willing to work hard,” he wrote. Describing American leadership across the world as “indispensable,” he encouraged Trump to retain it, writing that the stability of the United States depends upon it. And Obama also stressed the importance of preserving the country’s founding institutions. “We are just temporary occupants of this office. That makes us guardians of those democratic institutions and traditions — like rule of law, separation of powers, equal protection and civil liberties — that our forebears fought and bled for. Regardless of the push and pull of daily politics, it’s up to us to leave those instruments of our democracy at least as strong as we found them,” he wrote. Lastly, he told Trump to rely on his family and friends when the Presidency inevitably became difficult. The practice of outgoing Presidents leaving a letter in the Oval Office for their successor is a longstanding tradition. Obama received one from his predecessor, George W. Bush, who had received one from Bill Clinton, who had received one from George H.W. Bush. ## Transcript My fellow Americans, it has been the honor of my life to serve you. I won't stop in fact, I will be right there with you as a citizen - >> [ APPLAUSE ] For all my remaining days . >> [ APPLAUSE ] But, for now whether you are young or whether Whether you are young at heart. I do have one final ask of you as your President. The same thing I asked when you took a chance on me eight years ago. I am asking you to believe not in my ability to bring about change, but in yours. Yes we can. Yes we did. Yes we can. Thank you. God bless you. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4926116/barack-obama-letter-to-trump/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4926116/barack-obama-letter-to-trump/"},"headline":"Barack Obama Offers Trump Advice In Inauguration Letter: 'American Leadership in This World Really is Indispensable’","datePublished":"2017-09-03T15:14:49.000Z","dateModified":"2026-10-08T09:32:36.783Z","description":"\"We are just temporary occupants of this office. 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