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Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, has finally spoken — and he’s not holding back.
After months of watching from the sidelines, the two-term former president delivered some of his most direct and forceful criticism yet of President Donald Trump.
Speaking Thursday at Hamilton College in upstate New York, Obama expressed grave concern about the direction of the country, calling out what he sees as authoritarian behavior coming from the White House.
“It’s unimaginable that the same parties that are silent now would have tolerated behavior like that from me, or a whole bunch of my predecessors,” Obama told students during a wide-ranging question-and-answer session. “Just imagine if I had done any of this.”
With a tone that was more warning than nostalgia, Obama criticized Trump’s attempts to gut the federal government, deport protestors, punish universities, intimidate law firms, and silence the press.
Obama said that while he’s stayed relatively quiet since the 2024 election, he’s been closely watching. And what he’s seen, he said, is not only alarming but dangerous to the foundations of American democracy.
In the session at Hamilton, Obama drew stark comparisons between Trump’s actions and the expectations placed on previous presidents.
“Imagine I had pulled Fox News’ credentials from the White House press corps,” Obama said, referencing Trump’s recent move to bar the Associated Press from the press pool after the news outlet refused to adopt the administration’s newly preferred term “Gulf of America.”
“Imagine if I had said to law firms representing parties critical of the ACA or the Iran Deal, ‘You’re not welcome in federal buildings. You’ll be punished economically for dissent,’” Obama continued. “That kind of behavior is contrary to the basic compact we have as Americans.”
His words reflect mounting frustration with what he sees as a dangerous normalization of authoritarian tactics — and what he perceives as a lack of accountability or outrage from many political leaders.
Obama’s remarks come just months after the 2024 presidential election, where he had campaigned for Kamala Harris following Joe Biden’s decision to exit the race. Harris ultimately lost to Trump in a tightly contested election.
Since then, Obama has kept a low profile — attending Trump’s second inauguration, though notably without Michelle Obama at his side.
But recent events appear to have shifted his stance. The crackdown on immigration, threats against academic institutions, efforts to control legal advocacy, and moves against independent journalism have prompted Obama to speak out.
“I’m more deeply concerned with a federal government that threatens universities if they don’t give up students who are exercising their right to free speech,” he said. “That’s not a free society. That’s not America.”
Though Obama acknowledged that Trump’s newly announced tariffs will be damaging to the economy — including in states like California, where leaders are actively seeking ways to bypass federal policy — he said the bigger issue is not about economics alone.
“This is about what kind of country we want to be,” Obama told students. “It’s about how we treat people who disagree with us. It’s about whether the government should have the power to silence you, or blacklist you, just because you’re not in line.”
In response to the new economic measures, global markets have already shown signs of instability, and multiple U.S. allies have signaled retaliatory tariffs. But Obama warned that while trade wars will come and go, the damage done to democratic institutions could last far longer.
Obama also questioned the double standard in how Trump’s behavior is tolerated by many who once claimed to stand for traditional conservative values.
“It’s unimaginable that some of the people now cheering these moves would have sat quietly if I had tried even a fraction of this,” he said. “That tells you this isn’t about policy. It’s about power.”
His comment reflects a broader frustration that many Democrats — and even some Republicans — have voiced in recent years: that political tribalism is overshadowing principle, and the rule of law is becoming more flexible depending on who holds office.
During the 2024 campaign, Obama made several appearances alongside Harris and other Democratic candidates, speaking passionately about protecting democracy and restoring trust in institutions.
At a rally in Atlanta less than two weeks before the election, Obama directly referenced comments made by Trump’s former Chief of Staff John Kelly, who described Trump as fitting “the general definition of a fascist.”
“We do not need four years of a wannabe king,” Obama said at the time. “That’s not what you need in your life. America is ready to turn the page.”
Now, with Trump back in office, Obama seems less focused on political rivalry and more on institutional survival.
“I understand people wanted change,” he said at Hamilton. “But I don’t understand why anyone would think Donald Trump would deliver the kind of change that actually helps you. There’s no evidence — none — that he cares about anyone but himself.”
Obama did not outline a specific plan for future public involvement or political action. But his decision to speak out at a time when the administration is clamping down on dissent sends a clear signal: he believes the threat is real.
“This isn’t just about one election,” he told students. “It’s about the next generation. What kind of leadership do we want to model for them? What kind of country are we handing them?”
For now, Obama’s message is less about campaigning and more about consciousness — urging Americans not to normalize behavior that erodes democratic norms.
“Just because [Trump] acts goofy,” Obama said, “doesn’t mean his presidency won’t be dangerous.”
