After years of speculation, President Barack Obama silenced critics today by releasing the long form version of his birth certificate from the state of Hawaii.

The birth certificate was posted on the White House's official website, with a statement from White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer.

"The President believed the distraction over his birth certificate wasn't good for the country. It may have been good politics and good TV, but it was bad for the American people and distracting from the many challenges we face as a country," he said. "Therefore, the President directed his counsel to review the legal authority for seeking access to the long form certificate and to request on that basis that the Hawaii State Department of Health make an exception to release a copy of his long form birth certificate."

Obama commented on the issue as well, saying, "Over the last two and a half years, I have watched with bemusement. I've been puzzled by the degree to which this thing just kept on going."

Obama added that there would still be a "segment of people for which, no matter what we put out, this issue will not be put to rest," adding, "We do not have time for this kind of silliness."

Donald Trump, who has been the most vocal about the President's birth certificate in recent weeks, took credit for its release today, saying, "Today I'm very proud of myself, because I've accomplished something that no one else has been able to accomplish. I want to look at it, but I hope it's true ... But he should have done it a long time ago."

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