US election: What now for 'lame-duck President' Barack Obama in the White House?
Updated
US President Barack Obama's days in the White House are numbered.
On January 20, President-elect Donald Trump will be inaugurated at Capitol Hill and the Obamas will officially hand over the keys.
So with such little time left in office, does Mr Obama still have any power? And how will he spend his final days?
Does he still have any power?
Yes and no. Mr Obama will technically retain all of his powers as President of the United States right up until noon on January 20, when Mr Trump takes over.
However, when it comes to deciding what does and does not become law, his power is significantly reduced.
That is because Republicans hold a majority in Congress, so they will decide what legislation they will try to wrap up now and what to leave for next year in hopes of getting a better deal with Mr Trump.
What's the deal with the 'lame duck' reference?
You've probably heard Mr Obama referred to as a "lame-duck President" since the election.
It might sound derogatory, but it is actually just the term used to describe an outgoing President, whose successor has already been elected (in this case Mr Trump).
It insinuates the reduced level of power that he now has.
The final session of Congress before a successor takes office is also called a "lame-duck session" as not much usually goes on.
Fun fact: the term is said to date back to England in the 1760s, originally referring to people who defaulted on their stockmarket debts.
Does he get to make any more trips overseas?
Mr Obama is currently on his final foreign tour as President.
He kicked off the trip with a visit to Greece, where he made what is likely to have been his last major address abroad.
In it he moved to reassure US allies that there would be a peaceful transition of power in Washington and that the country's core strategic relationships around the world would be maintained under Mr Trump.
Then he jetted to Berlin in Germany, where he is set to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other leaders of key European countries, including Britain, France, Italy and Spain.
His final stop will be in Peru, where he will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.
There he is expected to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the situation in Syria.
Will his legacy live on?
Mr Obama's legacy is in doubt as Mr Trump has promised to undo much of the President's agenda.
In his final days, Mr Obama and his administration will likely seek to defend and protect their signature policies from over the past eight years, but it could all be in vain.
Republicans are targeting Mr Obama's healthcare law, his plan to combat climate change, his transgender rights policy, his "net neutrality" internet rules and other matters.
Some cases are awaiting rulings by trial judges or regional federal appeals courts and could be bound for the US Supreme Court, which is often called on to interpret new laws and decide whether they pass constitutional muster.
Mr Trump will be responsible for selecting a new Supreme Court Justice, who could cast the deciding vote in these cases.
So what does that mean for Guantanamo?
You might remember that when Mr Obama took office in 2009, he vowed to close the Guantanamo prison.
He approved legislation that included barring the use of evidence obtained under torture, but his efforts to close the facility were stalled by opposition from Congress.
"It is true that I have not been able to close the darn thing, because of the congressional restrictions that have been placed on us," Mr Obama said during a press conference on Monday.
His comments prove it is not always possible to get what you want — or promise — as president.
Republicans say many of the prisoners at Guantanamo are too dangerous to release.
And what about Biden?
Vice-President Joe Biden will hand the reins to Mr Trump's VP-elect Mike Pence on January 20.
In an interview with CNN days before the election, he said he would not be seeking a role within Hillary Clinton's administration if she won.
"I'm not going away. I plan on being as deeply engaged as I am now in the capacity of a citizen that has more of a platform and the ability to convene people," he said.
So, where is Obama headed next?
Mr Obama and his family will stay in Washington DC after leaving the White House.
It is not common for former presidents to stay in the capital, but Mr Obama said they would remain until his daughter Sasha finished high school.
"Transferring someone in the middle of high school — tough," he said in March earlier this year.
As for what he will be doing, this video from the White House offers a cheeky take:
ABC, wires
Topics: government-and-politics, federal-government, us-elections, united-states
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