WASHINGTON >> Before he left office in January, President Barack Obama offered his successor accolades and advice in a private letter that underscored some of his concerns as he passed the baton.

In the letter, published today by CNN, Obama urged President Donald Trump to “build more ladders of success for every child and family,” to “sustain the international order” and to protect “democratic institutions and traditions.”

It is customary for presidents to leave notes for their successors. But typically these missives do not come to light so quickly. The handoff letters from President George W. Bush in 2009 and President Bill Clinton in 2001 were revealed earlier this year. CNN reports it received the Obama letter from “someone Trump showed it to.”