Former President Barack Obama said he thinks about what more he could do to counter President Donald Trump “every day” while taking a swipe at “commentator” culture.
In an interview with The New Yorker, Obama said, “I think about it every day,” when asked about what else he could do to help the current political landscape.
Obama said if he tried to be more outspoken about the sitting president, it would dilute his impact.
“For me to function like Jon Stewart, even once a week, just going off, just ripping what was happening — which, by the way, I’m glad Jon’s doing it — then I’m not a political leader, I’m a commentator,” Obama told the magazine.
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“The media environment is so difficult that people don’t even know all the stuff I am doing, right?” he said. “And, I think, when they do see me, then the sense is, ‘Well, why isn’t he doing that every day instead of just during a midterm election, or during a referendum campaign around gerrymandering,’ or what have you?”
The former president faced calls from progressives in 2025 to speak out against Trump more than he had. Obama has since worked on redistricting efforts in Virginia and California.
Obama said that Trump’s policies have gotten him involved “more than I would have preferred,” according to The New Yorker.
He also conceded that his involvement in politics today — after two terms as president — is a point of contention with former first lady Michelle Obama.
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“She wants to see her husband easing up and spending more time with her, enjoying what remains of our lives,” Obama said.
“It does create a genuine tension in our household, and it frustrates her,” he continued. “I’m more forgiving of it, in the sense that I understand why people feel that way, because people aren’t looking at me in historical comparison to other presidents. They don’t care about the fact that no other ex-president was the main surrogate for the party for four election cycles after they left office.”
Michelle Obama said in an interview in January that she would actively work against her husband running for a hypothetical third term, as talk of Trump running for a third time made headlines.
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While the former first lady has been outspoken about her disdain for politics, she has also criticized the Trump administration on her podcast and in interviews.
