President Barack Obama's last day as president was January 20, 2017, and he spent it doing what most American president did on their last few hours in the White House. He greeted the incoming president, Republican Donald Trump, and Trump's family. read more
Obama did save one major announcement for his final day: Commutations for 330 drug offenders who had appealed to him for clemency. The final round of grants brought to 1,715 the total number of inmates whose sentences Obama has commuted, more than any other president. read more
Recent presidents have hosted their eventual successors on the last day in office. On Jan. 20, 2009, President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush hosted President-Elect Barack Obama and his wife, as well as Vice President-Elect Joe Biden, for coffee in the Blue Room of the White House before the noon inauguration. read more