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Jimmy Carter: Trump needs Americans' support, prayers

ATLANTA — President Jimmy Carter says President-elect Donald Trump needs Americans' "support and our prayers" as he prepares to take office.

Carter briefly discussed Trump's election Thursday at a conference focused on neglected tropical diseases.

The Carter Center, a human rights organization that Carter founded after leaving the White House, works on the issue.

Carter, who turned 92 in October, says he spoke to Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton on Wednesday.

Carter joked that he understands how both Trump and Clinton feel this week.

“I won the same election, as some of you may be old enough to remember, and then I lost the same election,” he said.

Carter won the 1976 election and lost his 1980 re-election bid.

Trump met with President Barack Obama at the White House on Thursday.

Trump says it was the first time the two had ever met. For almost 90 minutes, they discussed the coming changeover of government. Trump said they had planned to meet for a much shorter period of time.

As Trump and Obama met in the Oval Office, first lady Michelle Obama welcomed Trump's wife, Melania, to the White House residence

The Associated Press contributed to this report.