Barack Obama has reflected on the growing concern in the US under Donald Trump’s leadership.
Since his final term as President ended in early 2017, Barack Obama has largely remained out of the limelight, except for the rare photobomb.
He has previously spoken out about his successor, Donald Trump, and the decisions of his administration, including the pause in Harvard funding and the controversial tariff plan.
However, this time, Obama has a more bleak opinion of the US’s future under the Trump administration and has warned that what is happening is ‘not consistent with American democracy’.
Speaking on Tuesday evening (June 17) in Hartford, Connecticut, he said that the nation was instead moving ‘dangerously close’ to becoming an autocracy.
He also gave examples of what kind of real-world nations the US could become like politically if things continue to move in this direction.
What is an autocracy?
Barack Obama warned of the US’ future under President Donald Trump (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
An autocracy is a form of government in which one individual has absolute decision-making power. This form of rule isn’t new and has existed throughout history in the form of emperors and kings, according to National Geographic.
In more modern times, it is realized in absolute monarchies and dictatorships. Autocratic rulers are not accountable to anyone, including advisors, judicial systems, the people, or the press.
The people governed under autocracies also have no say in determining the country’s laws or how they are enforced.
What did Barack Obama say about the US under Trump?
Obama made it clear that he believes the US is creeping closer to autocratic rule.
At the event, he said: “If you follow regularly what is said by those who are in charge of the federal government right now, there is a weak commitment to what we understood — and not just my generation, at least since World War II — our understanding of how a liberal democracy is supposed to work.
“What we’re seeing right now … is not consistent with American democracy.
Obama feared the possible slip into an autocracy (Melina Mara – Pool/Getty Images)
“It is consistent with autocracies. It is consistent with Hungary under Orbán. It’s consistent with places that hold elections but do not otherwise observe what we think of [as] a fair system in which everybody’s voice matters, and people have a seat at the table, and there are checks and balances, and nobody’s above the law.
“We’re not there yet completely, but I think that we are dangerously close to normalizing behavior like that.”
Why is this relevant now?
Last weekend (June 14), protests against Trump’s policies began popping up across the US, dubbed ‘No King’ rallies.
Reportedly, more than 2,000 protests occurred across all 50 states, with organizers saying they hoped to ‘reject authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics, and the militarization of our democracy,’ according to a CNN report.
As well as this, there had been protests against Trump for his support of ICE and their conduct in Los Angeles, in addition to the fact that the President called in the National Guard to deal with the unrest.
Obama praised the effort to spark change, however, he stressed the importance of elected officials protecting US institutions, adding: “There also has to be people in government in both parties who say, ‘Well, no, you can’t do that.”
What is Barack Obama’s solution?
While Obama highlighted what he believes are the dangers of the current administration, his speech was not without its optimism.
Despite his criticisms, he noted how he thinks the nation can get back on track while also offering guidance to young people growing up.
In recent weeks, Trump has been protested across the country (DAVID PASHAEE/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)
He said: “I’m still optimistic — I’m still the ‘hope’ guy. … I guess the thing when I’m talking to these young people, though, [what] they need to hear the most is: It is important to be impatient with injustice and cruelty, and there’s a healthy outrage that we should be exhibiting in terms of what’s currently happening both here and around the world.
“But if you want to deliver on change, then it’s a game of addition, not subtraction, which means you have to find ways to make common ground with people who don’t agree with you on everything but agree with you on some things.”
Reflecting on the future of democracy in the US, Obama reiterated the importance of finding common ground and coming together, adding: “When people actually meet and they get to know each other and then they work on a common endeavor, then what Lincoln called those ‘better angels’ come out.
“People start recognizing themselves in each other and they start trusting each other, and that’s not just the basis for democracy, but that’s the basis for our long-term salvation.”
Featured Image Credit: Getty Images/Spencer Platt
Topics: Donald Trump, Barack Obama, US News, Politics, News
Gerrard Kaonga
Michelle Obama explains important parenting decision she and Barack made while their daughters were growing up
The former first lady revealed all when it comes to parenting in the White House
Michelle Obama has opened up about what it was like to be bringing up their kids in the White House, admitting there was one aspect of it that was ‘mighty effort’.
When you’re the former first lady and former president of the US, people might make some wide speculation about how you take care of your children.
From tutors to nannies, the assumptions of what people would believe you do to upkeep your family is sometimes accurate, and sometimes not so much.
Instead of being left wondering, Michelle has taken it into her own hands spilled all about how they balanced family life with presidential life.
Michelle Obama spoke candidly about parenting (IMO)
Talking about parenting in the White House, she shared all in an episode of her podcast, IMO with Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson on Wednesday (June 11).
She explained to legendary singer Bruce Springsteen that it was essential they leave behind their important roles and focus on being parents to their children, like any other family.
Michelle said: “And it took a mighty effort to leave the grandeur at the door and to just be there and talk about fifth grade.”
However, she praised her husband for being able to leave it behind and continue to show up for their girls, regardless of the fact that he was running an entire nation.
Michelle shared: “I think Barack is just like you as a tremendous father, doing it in a lot of grandeur, right.
The pair’s daughters grew up in the White House (SONNY TUMBELAKA/AFP via Getty Images)
“Yeah, you’re the commander in chief of the United States of America. And so finding that balance of, you know, when you’ve got the nuclear code in your grasp and world leaders calling you and big, important, heavy decisions coming at you every day and valets and aides and on and on, and security, and oh, it’s just all grandeur.”
She added that it was ‘important’ both of them were there for Sasha, 24, and Malia, 26.
“Trying to wipe all that stuff away and leave it at the door before he would enter the residence of the White House to sit at a dinner table with his two daughters and only talk about them.
“It was important for both of us, for me and Barack, to carve out that time in those eight years when our girls were in their formative years, you know,” Michelle added.
However, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t without its sacrifices and issues.
Michelle and Barack have a method to parenting (NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via Getty Images)
Springsteen agreed with her, sharing that when you’re on the road and touring, ‘you are the king’.
But when you go back home to your family, ‘you’re the chauffeur’.
He explained to Michelle of the contrast in roles: “You know, making that transition can be funny, and everybody has some version of that, that you need to transition into your domestic life and to be able to transition into their domestic life, and to understand who you are there and to identify.”
Michelle has been very open about her relationship with the former president since creating her podcast, having even shut down rumors that the pair were divorcing, and also making light-hearted jokes at his expense.
Featured Image Credit: IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson
Topics: Barack Obama, Politics, Parenting, Podcast
Britt Jones
Michelle Obama sends telling message to Barack after disputing divorce rumors
The former First Lady has broken her silence about the speculation
Michelle Obama has squashed divorce rumors once and for all as she reveals she’s been busy making her own ‘decisions.’
The former First Lady has spoken out for the first time about swirling rumors that her marriage to Barack Obama is on the rocks.
Michelle, who tied the knot with the former Democrat POTUS in 1992, has been notably absent from some high-profile events, including President Donald Trump‘s inauguration in January and the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter, which not only broke long-standing tradition but added fuel to the fire of the speculation.
However, the 61-year-old attorney has finally put the gossip to bed on Instagram, sharing a throwback pic of the married couple and their two children on Sunday (June 15).
Michelle Obama has put the rumors to bed once and for all (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
In the post, Michelle said her husband has ‘always been there’ for the family and tipped her hat to him on Father’s Day.
She penned: “I love looking back at photos like this of when our girls were younger.
“@BarackObama has always been there for us no matter what — even when it felt like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. We’ve always been so grateful.
“To Barack and all the dads and father-figures celebrating today, Happy Father’s Day!”
The couple celebrated a major milestone – their 32nd anniversary – in October last year.
The celebratory post also comes as the Becoming Netflix star previously slammed divorce rumors directly on various podcasts, last month stating that ‘everyone would know’ if they were separating while on The Diary of a CEO.
“If I were having problems with my husband, everybody would know about it,” she told Steven Bartlett, adding: “I would be problem solving in public. I’m not a martyr.”
On her own podcast, she revealed she skipped out on Trump’s inauguration for a personal decision that was met with ‘ridicule and criticism’.
“People couldn’t believe that I was saying no for any other reason. They had to assume that my marriage was falling apart,” she declared on her IMO podcast.
Barack Obama attended Trump’s inauguration on his own (Melina Mara – Pool/Getty Images)
The Becoming author also appeared on Sophia Bush’s Work in Progress podcast where she said she’s simply been focusing on herself.
Michelle revealed she felt some guilt for taking a step back from some public-facing duties, adding: “That’s the thing that we as women, I think we struggle with like disappointing people.
“I mean, so much so that this year people couldn’t even fathom that I was making a choice for myself that they had to assume that my husband and I are divorcing.
“This couldn’t be a grown woman just making a set of decisions for herself, right? But that’s what society does to us.”
The couple celebrated their 32nd wedding anniversary in October (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Explaining further, she continued: “I chose to do what was best for me. Not what I had to do. Not what I thought other people wanted me to do.”
Although her absence has been keenly felt in recent months, Michelle did deliver a powerful speech at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) last summer where she told attendees of her home city, Chicago, to get behind the then-presidential nominee Kamala Harris.
“Hope is making a comeback,” she said to the crowd at the time.
And she hasn’t bowed out of public life completely either as she said on the podcast she’ll remain at the forefront of fighting for certain issues and working on projects close to her heart, adding: “I still care about girls’ education.”
Featured Image Credit: Getty Images/Scott Olson
Topics: Barack Obama, Celebrity, Politics, US News, Sex and Relationships, Podcast
Liv Bridge
Barack and Michelle Obama share statement after Donald Trump wins the 2024 US election
The former President and First Lady of the United States released a statement on social media
Barack and Michelle Obama have released a statement following the results of the 2024 US presidential election.
President-Elect Donald Trump won the race last night securing 295 electoral votes, and winning over battleground states like Michigan and Pennsylvania. The 45th President of the United States is now slated to become its 47th in January 2025 when he takes up office following his inauguration.
Shortly after Vice President and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris delivered her concession speech at Howard University today, the Obamas released a statement on Twitter that read: “Over the last few weeks and through Election Day, millions of Americans cast their votes — not just for president, but for leaders at every level.
“Now the results are in, and we want to congratulate President Trump and Senator Vance on their victory.
The Obamas released a statement on social media. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
“This is obviously not the outcome we had hoped for, given our profound disagreements with the Republican ticket on a whole host of issues. But living in a democracy is about recognizing that our point of view won’t always win out, and being willing to accept the peaceful transfer of power.
“Michelle and I could not be prouder of Vice President Harris and Governor Walz — two extraordinary public servants who ran a remarkable campaign. And we will always be grateful to the staff and volunteers who poured their heart and soul into electing public servants they truly believed in.
Here’s our statement on the results of the 2024 presidential election:
“As I said on the campaign trail, America has been through a lot over the last few years — from a historic pandemic and price hikes resulting from the pandemic, to rapid change and the feeling a lot of folks have that, no matter how hard they work, treading water is the best they can do.
“Those conditions have created headwinds for democratic incumbents around the world, and last night showed that America is not immune.
“The good news is that these problems are solvable — but only if we listen to each other, and only if we abide by the core constitutional principles and democratic norms that made this country great.
Donald Trump will become the 47th President of the United States in January. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
“In a country as big and diverse as ours, we won’t always see eye-to-eye on everything. But progress requires us to extend good faith and grace — even to people with whom we deeply disagree.
“That’s how we’ve come this far, and it’s how we’ll keep building a country that is more fair and more just, more equal and more free.”
Meanwhile Trump addressed the nation at the West Palm Beach, Florida, Convention Center late last night and thanked ‘the American people for the extraordinary honor of being elected your 47th president and your 45th president.’
Featured Image Credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images / Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Topics: Barack Obama, Election, Donald Trump, Kamala Harris
Yasmeen Hamadeh
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Michelle Obama explains why she controversially skipped Trump’s inauguration following Barack divorce rumors
Michelle said her decision to not attend Trump’s inauguration was met with ‘ridicule and criticism’
Michelle Obama has finally opened up on her reasoning for not attending Donald Trump’s inauguration back in January, as she admitted people jumped to divorce rumors as a result.
The former first lady has a new podcast that she launched in March this year, and has had the likes of Seth Rogen, Tracee Ellis Ross and more as guests. And in her latest episode featuring Benjamin Button actor Teraji P. Henson, Michelle addressed her decision not to attend Trump’s inauguration on January 20, while her husband, Barack Obama, did.
This comes amid rumours that she and Barack may be getting a divorce, which have been fuelled since the beginning of the year when there were several political public appearances, including Trump’s inauguration, which saw former president Barack attend without his wife.
Divorce rumours began at the start of the year ((Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images) )
At the time when the announcement was made that Michelle wouldn’t be attending the inauguration with her husband, the Obamas’ office released a statement reading: “Former President Barack Obama is confirmed to attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies. Former First Lady Michelle Obama will not attend the upcoming inauguration” without further explanation.”
This marked an unusual break from tradition, as previous presidents usually attend inaugurations alongside their partners.
However, Michelle explained further the reason for this in her latest podcast episode, which was on the theme of burnout and boundaries.
She described her decision not to attend the ceremony as an act of self-care she is currently practicing: “I’m at this stage in life where I have to define my life on my terms for the first time. So what are those terms, and going to therapy just to work all that out?”
Michelle Obama says she chose peace over attending Trump’s second inauguration (Marcus Ingram/Getty Images)
She continued: “And so practising no in a very different way intentionally. But then this is what makes it hard because… my decision to skip the inauguration… what people don’t realise… my decision to make choices at the beginning of this year that suited me were met with such ridicule and criticism.”
Addressing the rumours directly, she said: “People couldn’t believe that I was saying no for any other reason than they had to assume that my marriage was falling apart… while I’m here really trying to own my life and intentionally practice making the choice that was right for me.
“And it took everything in my power to not do the thing that was right or that was perceived as right, but do the thing that was right for me”.
Michelle has previously expressed her distaste for Trump as she has described him as ‘a convicted felon, a known slumlord’ and a ‘predator found liable for sexual abuse’.
Although she has previously attended Trump’s first inauguration in 2020, she said: “To sit on that stage and watch the opposite of what we represented on display — there was no diversity, there was no colour on that stage, there was no reflection of the broader sense of America”.
