Former United States President Barack Obama has criticised some recent actions of President Donald Trump, accusing the current administration of clamping down on the media, targeting political opponents, and threatening institutions that promote diversity and free expression.
Obama made the remarks during a conversation with Hamilton College President, Steven Tepper, where he expressed concern over what he described as troubling trends under Trump’s leadership.
He particularly faulted the White House’s decision to revoke The Associated Press’s access to key West Wing areas after the news agency refused to adopt the term “Gulf of America,” following Trump’s decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico.
“It’s up to all of us to fix this,” Obama said, emphasising the role of ordinary citizens as central to the health of democracy. “Ordinary people are the most important people in a democracy.”
The former president also attacked the administration’s economic policies, criticising newly imposed tariffs and the reduction or suspension of federal funding for universities that fail to comply with new federal directives.
This week, the Department of Education directed education officials across districts and states to confirm that they are not running diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, describing them as violations of anti-discrimination laws.
Obama voiced strong disapproval of the move, warning of its implications on academic freedom and civil liberties.
“I am 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.
In a sharp rebuke of what he called partisan silence, Obama said the same actors who now fail to speak out against Trump’s actions would have reacted differently if he or a previous Democratic president had done the same.
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“I am more troubled by the idea that a White House can say to law firms, ‘If you represent parties that we don’t like, we’re going to pull all our business or bar you from representing people effectively,’” he stated. “Imagine if I had done any of this. I just want to be clear about this.”
The former president continued, “Imagine if I had pulled Fox News’ credentials from the White House press corps. You’re laughing, but this is what’s happening. Imagine if I had said to law firms that were representing parties that were upset with policies my administration had initiated, that you will not be allowed into government buildings.”
Obama also questioned the double standards in political discourse.
“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,” he said.
Addressing the issue of gun violence, Obama condemned the frequent shootings across the U.S. and called for tighter control on firearms.
“I don’t understand what we’re doing in allowing semiautomatic weapons in people’s hands,” he said. “But I could not persuade enough of the country and certainly enough of Congress to prioritise that.”
Speaking on his post-presidency life, Obama shared that he is currently focused on the Obama Foundation, which is dedicated to training emerging leaders in the U.S. and globally.
He also disclosed that he is working on completing his presidential memoirs.
Credit: PUNCH
