Trump discusses ‘gracious,’ ‘lovely’ calls with Clintons

President-elect Donald Trump says he appreciates how Bill and Hillary Clinton have treated him since winning the presidency.

“So, Hillary called and it was a lovely call, and it was a tough call for her,” Trump said in an excerpt of his interview Sunday on CBS’s “60 Minutes” that was released Friday.

“I mean, I can imagine,” Trump continued of the Democratic presidential nominee. “Tougher for her than it would have been for me. I mean, for me, it would have been very, very difficult.

“She just said, ‘Congratulations Donald, well done.’ And I said, ‘I want to thank you very much, you were a great competitor,'” Trump said. “She is very strong and very smart.”

Trump said he had a similar exchange with Bill Clinton during his talk with the former president on Thursday.

“He couldn’t have been more gracious,” Trump said. “He said it was an amazing run. One of the most amazing he’s ever seen. He was very, very, really, very nice.”

Trump added he would consider contacting President Obama for advice after taking office.

“Well, he’s a very talented guy. I mean, this is a very talented family. Certainly, I would think about that.”

Hillary Clinton frequently portrayed Trump as lacking the experience and temperament for the presidency before his surprise victory on Tuesday. Trump had campaigned on the argument that he was a change agent targeting the political establishment in Washington.

The real estate tycoon’s success capped off a huge night for the GOP overall, with the party keeping its House and Senate majorities intact while winning the White House.