In a moment of unexpected emotion following Donald Trump’s surprising election win, Barack Obama was seen tearing up as he addressed his senior White House staff. This poignant moment is highlighted in a recently released collection of interviews that delve into the internal dynamics of his administration. Close aides describe Obama as maintaining a surprising level of composure on election night; however, the gravity of the transition hit him during his speech to his team. Christy Goldfuss, who was the managing director of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, recounted, “He began to speak, and tears came as he thanked everyone for their dedication and belief in his leadership.”

Former communications director Jen Psaki shared that the emotional atmosphere affected many prominent figures, including Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew and National Security Adviser Susan Rice. Psaki recalled, “Even the toughest and most brilliant among us were moved to tears.” This scene stood in stark contrast to the ambiance at the 2011 White House Correspondents’ Dinner, remembered for its glamour and biting humor. During that event, David Axelrod, a key strategist for Obama’s historic campaigns, encountered Donald Trump, who was boastfully mingling with the elite. Trump was heard proudly stating, “I know it’s crazy, but I’m in front of the polls,” highlighting his early influence even before considering a presidential run.

At the time, Trump was a real estate mogul enjoying his role as a provocateur, flaunting his growing appeal among voters. Axelrod recalled his reaction, “I kind of chuckled at it and went to my seat,” reflecting the general disbelief that Trump could become a serious presidential contender, let alone win. During the evening’s comedic segment, Obama himself took jabs at Trump, unaware of the future political landscape. Now, a comprehensive collection of interviews unveils the Obama administration’s experiences, providing an enlightening behind-the-scenes look at the pivotal years leading up to Trump’s presidency.

This oral history, the most significant collection of its kind ever released, was spearheaded by Columbia University’s Incite Institute in a high-profile partnership with the Obama Foundation. Researchers spent years capturing a staggering 1,100 hours of raw audio and video footage, creating a mountain of evidence that chronicles the highs and lows of the 44th President’s tenure. One thing was made abundantly clear: Obama and his team never anticipated a Trump presidency. While the project is being hailed as a definitive record, there are three gaping holes in the lineup: Obama, former First Lady Michelle Obama, and then-Vice President Joe Biden are all absent from the interviews. However, the archive more than makes up for their silence with a star-studded and politically charged roster of participants.

From heavyweight diplomats to Hollywood royalty and even fierce Republican rivals, the collection offers a ‘who’s who’ of the era’s most influential figures. ‘The outcome of the election was a direct rebuke of everything that we had been trying to do for the last 10 years,’ Josh Earnest explained, who was Mr. Obama’s last White House press secretary. ‘Trump’s candidacy,’ he added, ‘the essence of his being and everything that he stood for and everything about the way that he carried himself and everything that he championed and his rhetoric, his campaign tactics — all were anathema to everything that the Obama campaign and the Obama era, the Obama administration, had been about.’ In a series of surreal exchanges revealed by former chief strategist David Axelrod, the future president first reached out in 2010 during the catastrophic BP oil spill. Using Morning Joe host Mika Brzezinski as a high-society middleman, the real estate mogul reached out to Axelrod to offer his personal services to plug the leaking Gulf of Mexico well.

Axelrod, baffled by the offer, says he declined. Once the oil spill was contained, Trump returned with a new obsession: the ’embarrassing’ state of White House entertaining. In a phone call, Trump reportedly pitched Axelrod on preparing a custom-built Trump ballroom. He fired off his campaign four years later, in June 2015. ‘Nobody took it seriously at the time,’ said Cody Keenan, another speechwriter for Mr. Obama. But then, he won.