Here's how Whitehouse.gov and the @POTUS Twitter handle are changing

Daniel Howley
·Technology Editor
Whitehouse.gov site.
The Whitehouse.gov site was handed over to Trump’s team as he was sworn into office.

Just as Donald Trump was sworn into the highest office in the land at noon on the steps of the Capitol building, the Whitehouse.gov webpage rolled over from the one the Obama White House maintained for the past eight years to one the Trump team will take over.

The change was swift and painless. Obama’s speeches, briefings and executive actions have been removed, leaving a clean slate for Trump and his Cabinet to make their mark on.

Interestingly a Google search for “Obama Whitehouse.gov” turned up a link for a website titled “President Barack Obama | whitehouse.gov,” though that’s likely a caching issue and should change over soon.

Obama’s White House website hasn’t disappeared into the ether, though. Instead, you’ll be able to access all of the content from the Obama White House website at Obamawhitehouse.gov.

One of the most notable changes Trump’s team has made to the official Whitehouse.gov page was the removal of nearly all references to climate change. Obama made the topic a key issue for his administration and his site highlights the matter just below civil rights. The first issues on Trump’s Whitehouse.gov page focus on energy and foreign policy.

In addition to Whitehouse.gov, the president’s @POTUS Twitter account also rolled over from Obama to Trump as the clock struck 12 in Washington, D.C. Trump, a prolific and often controversial Twitter user, hasn’t tweeted from the account as of yet, and it isn’t clear if he’ll keep his @RealDonaldTrump account up and running while using @POTUS for more official communications.

Obama will continue to tweet from @BarackObama, while his official presidential account will be archived by the National Archives and Records Administration at @POTUS44.

The former first lady, Michelle Obama, will also see her tweets from the @FLOTUS account archived under @FLOTUS44. First Lady Melania Trump has taken over the official FLOTUS handle. If you’re interested in following Michelle Obama, she will continue tweeting from @MichelleObama.

The Twitter handles for the @WhiteHouse, @PressSec and @VP and other social media accounts will also be rolled over to the Trump administration and start fresh. The accounts for Vice President Joe Biden and the Obama White House press secretary will also be archived at @VP44 and @PressSec44.

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Email Daniel at dhowley@yahoo-inc.com; follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley.