President Barack Obama Is 'Confident' He Could've Won a Third Term if Allowed

The interview with his former senior adviser David Axelrod aired Monday on The Axe Files, a podcast produced by CNN and the University of Chicago Institute of Politics.

Obama explained to Axelrod that his vision of "hope" and "change" might seem bogus, given that Trump preached basically the opposite and still won. "In the wake of the election and Trump winning, a lot of people have suggested that somehow, it really was a fantasy," he said.

But Obama thinks otherwise. He said, "What I would argue is, is that the culture actually did shift, that the majority does buy into the notion of a one America that is tolerant and diverse and open and full of energy and dynamism."

While Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by almost 2.9 million ballots, neither candidate won a majority of the popular vote. Trump won more electoral college though, which earned him a spot in the Oval Office.

On Election Day, Barack Obama's approval rating was among the highest in recent history.