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WASHINGTON, June 9 (UPI) -- He's with her. President Barack Obama on Thursday finally endorsed Hillary Clinton, his former rival turned secretary of state, in her quest to succeed him in the White House. The president's approval came after his meeting with Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders earlier in the day.
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Obama's endorsement was made official with a video posted to Clinton's campaign website.
"For more than a year now, across thousands of miles and all 50 states, tens of millions of Americans have made their voices heard. Today, I just want to add mine," Obama said in the video. "Look, I know how hard this job can be. That's why I know Hillary will be so good at it."
Video: Hillary Clinton/YouTube
"I don't think there's ever been someone so qualified to hold this office," he added.
The endorsement is the clearest sign yet the Democrats are coalescing around Clinton, who was declared the party's presumptive nominee earlier this week, despite another pledge by Sanders Thursday that he will keep trying to get the party's nomination.
Obama's three-minute video, released by Clinton's campaign, came soon after the president and the Vermont senator met for a private meeting in the Oval Office.
Afterward, Sanders thanked Obama and Vice President Joe Biden for honoring their promise at the outset of the campaign to remain neutral throughout the process. Sanders said Obama had refrained from putting a "thumb on the scale" of the primary process.
Obama acknowledged Sanders in his endorsement video, saying he had run an "incredible campaign."
"Just like eight years ago, there are millions of Americans, not just Democrats, who've cast their ballots for the very first time," the president said. "A lot of that is thanks to Sen. Bernie Sanders, who has run an incredible campaign.
"This has been a hard-fought race. I know some say these primaries have somehow left the Democratic Party more divided. Well, you know they said that eight years ago, as well."
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said the video was recorded Tuesday and that Sanders, who has spoken to the president three times in the past week, was made aware of Obama's plan to back Clinton prior to the video's release.
"As a result of those conversations, I think it's fair to say Sen. Sanders was not in any way surprised by today's announcement," Earnest said.
Sanders, despite laying off about half of his campaign staff after critical losses in California and New Jersey on Tuesday, still hopes to seize victory at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia next month, by persuading superdelegates in Clinton's corner to switch their votes in his favor.
"You all know it is more than Bernie Sanders. It is all of us together. Millions of people from coast to coast coming together," Sanders tweeted Thursday.
Republican candidate Donald Trump didn't wait long before criticizing Obama's endorsement.
"Obama endorsed Crooked Hillary," he tweeted. "He wants four more years of Obama -- but nobody else does!"
Delete your account. https://t.co/Oa92sncRQY
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) June 9, 2016
Clinton, who has repeatedly questioned Trump's qualifications this week, similarly responded quickly -- and encouraged the billionaire to delete his Twitter account.
"She's got the courage, the compassion and the heart to get the job done," Obama said of Clinton in the video. "And I say that as somebody who had to debate her more than 20 times.
"Some say these primaries have somehow left the Democratic party more divided. Well, they said that eight years ago, as well."
