Former US President Barack Obama has expressed concern over the declining standards of decency and ethical conduct in the country’s political climate.
His remarks came in response to a video shared on President Donald Trump’s social media platform, Truth Social, in which Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama were depicted in an offensive manner.
In a podcast interview, Obama stated that political discourse in the United States has become unusually harsh and disrespectful. Without naming anyone directly, he said that public offices were once treated with greater respect and civility, but that such norms now appear to be diminishing.
It is worth noting that a video shared on February 5, which included conspiracy claims related to the 2020 presidential election, briefly portrayed Obama and his wife with a monkey’s body — sparking strong reactions in political circles. The White House later removed the video, describing it as a staff error.
Obama also criticised President Trump’s immigration policies, particularly operations carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the state of Minnesota, stating that the conduct of federal officials at times resembled authoritarian governance.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration maintains that the operations were targeted actions against criminal elements. Protests have been reported across the country in response to these measures, while disagreements have also emerged in Congress over funding for the Department of Homeland Security.
