Obama to make final Air Force One trip to hometown Chicago

Team Udayavani, Jan 10, 2017, 10:51 AM IST

Washington DC(USA): Outgoing US President Barack Obama will make a final ride on Air Force One to his hometown of Chicago to deliver a major speech at the end of his successful eight years of presidency, a top American official has said.

This is also likely to be Obama’s final out of town-travel as the 44th President of the US before he would pass on the baton to Donald Trump at a swearing in ceremony on January 20.

Obama has rented a house to live in Washington DC for the next two years for his youngest daughter to complete her studies.

Unlike in India, the former Presidents in the US are not provided a government accommodation.

However, he and his family members would be receiving secret service protection.

“At this point, the trip to Chicago will be President Obama’s final trip outside of Washington, DC as President of the United States,” White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest confirmed yesterday.

“I think it is likely to be his last Air Force One flight – although it is obviously tradition for the former President to take one last flight aboard the presidential aircraft at the conclusion of the inauguration,” he said.

Even though Obamas’ would be moving to a city resident after January 20, he would be taking the last customary Air Force One flight after Trump is sworn in as his successor.

Earnest did not say where Obama would be headed to for his last Air Force One flight.

“The President and First Lady will be leaving town shortly after the inaugural ceremony. But they will return, of course, to their rented house here in Washington, DC,” he said.

Obama who is known for his oratory skills is scheduled to deliver a major address to the nation from his hometown on Tuesday night.

Earnest said the President was still working on the draft.

“I would say that the President’s participation in the writing of this speech is commensurate with his role in the writing of other major speeches, which is to say that the President is heavily involved,” he said.

President is committed to delivering a forward-looking speech that will examine briefly the significant progress that the US has made in the last eight years, he said.

“But it will take a closer look and he’ll spend more time talking about what the President believes is necessary for us to confront the challenges that lie ahead,” he said.