One of the standout characteristics of President Obama's two terms in office has been his presence on social media. From his active Twitter account (complete with sweet messages to FLOTUS) to the White House's presence on Tumblr, he's brought the presidency into the modern, GIF-adorned era.
But just because we're heading into the home stretch of his last term in office doesn't mean POTUS is showing any signs of slowing down. As of today, you can message President Obama directly via Facebook Messenger.
To do so, open your Messenger app and send a direct message to the White House Facebook bot, @WhiteHouse. After a few moments, you'll see a message from the bot and will be asked to confirm that you're ready to get started. Press "Let's Go," type your message to the president, and then click send.
According to the White House blog, our current POTUS has continued the tradition of reading 10 letters a night, as presidents before him have done. Facebook messages to the president will be included among those 10 each day. Obama explained his reasoning in an official blog post:
"To make sure that in all the hustle and bustle that’s taken place here, we don’t lose sight of why we’re here — which is a bunch of citizens all across the country, needing our help, seeking advice, more than occasionally being angry, wanting to be heard," President Obama is quoted saying in the blog post. "And what’s interesting is not only do these letters help me to stay in touch with the people who sent me here, or the people who voted against me, but a lot of times they identify problems that might not have percolated up through the various agencies and bureaucracies."
Now, if only we could get POTUS to do a Facebook Live reading of his 10 messages a night. That would be the real cherry on top.