Barack Obama has recently shared his growing concerns about the direction the United States is heading under Donald Trump’s leadership, warning that it could be veering away from its democratic foundations.
Since leaving office in early 2017, Obama has mostly stayed out of the public eye, save for occasional appearances. However, he hasn’t shied away from voicing his opinions on Trump’s administration. In the past, he’s commented on several controversial decisions, such as halting federal funding for Harvard and implementing aggressive tariff strategies.
Now, Obama is expressing deeper worries. During a speech on Tuesday evening (June 17) in Hartford, Connecticut, the former President suggested that the country is edging “dangerously close” to becoming an autocracy. In this system, one person holds unchecked power. He pointed out that current developments under Trump’s leadership are “inconsistent with American democracy.”
He cited examples of nations that claim to be democracies but function more like autocracies, referencing Hungary under Viktor Orbán. According to Obama, the U.S. is beginning to mirror those systems where elections occur, but democratic principles such as fair representation, institutional checks and balances, and the rule of law are compromised.
What is an Autocracy?
An autocracy is a system of governance where one individual holds absolute power and is not held accountable by citizens, courts, or the press.
Historically, this has taken the form of emperors or monarchs, and today it manifests as dictatorships or absolute monarchies. In such systems, the public has little to no influence over the laws or their enforcement.
Obama’s Concerns About Trump’s Leadership
Obama warned that the rhetoric and actions coming from the federal government signal a weakened dedication to the democratic values Americans have upheld since World War II. He stated, “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 … as a liberal democracy.”
He argued that some of the behaviors and policies currently seen in the U.S. reflect those found in autocratic regimes. “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,” he said.
Though he noted that America hasn’t fully become an autocracy, he cautioned, “We are dangerously close to normalizing behavior like that.”
Why Is This Discussion Timely?
Obama’s remarks come amid a surge in anti-Trump protests across the country. On June 14, more than 2,000 rallies were held across all 50 states, under the banner of ‘No King.’ The protests aimed to challenge what many see as authoritarian tendencies in the Trump administration, as well as policies that favor the wealthy and increase the militarization of the government.
Additionally, Trump has come under fire for his support of ICE and for deploying the National Guard to respond to civil unrest. These actions have raised alarms among critics who argue that democratic freedoms are being undermined.
Obama acknowledged and applauded the protests, emphasizing that civic engagement is a vital part of the democratic process. However, he also stressed that it is equally important for elected officials to stand up for democratic norms and institutions. “There also have to be people in government in both parties who say, ‘Well, no, you can’t do that,’” he insisted.
Obama’s Message for the Future
Despite his grave warnings, Obama expressed hope that the country could still correct its course. He reiterated his belief in the power of young people to bring about change, encouraging them to remain passionate in their pursuit of justice.
“I’m still optimistic — I’m still the ‘hope’ guy,” he said. “What I tell young people is this: It’s important to be impatient with injustice and cruelty. We should be outraged about what’s happening here and around the world.”
However, he cautioned that making real progress requires collaboration and coalition-building. “If you want to deliver on change, then it’s a game of addition, not subtraction,” Obama explained. “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.”
Looking ahead, Obama underlined the importance of unity and empathy in preserving democracy. He invoked Abraham Lincoln’s concept of the “better angels” of human nature, saying that when people work together and see themselves in one another, trust grows.
That sense of shared purpose, he concluded, is not only fundamental to democracy but essential for the country’s long-term survival.
