NOTE: VIDEO AT THE END OF THE ARTICLE.
Barack Obama has issued one of his most direct and unsettling warnings yet about the direction of the United States, expressing grave concern over what he sees as a democratic backslide under President Donald Trump’s leadership. Speaking at an event in Hartford, Connecticut, on June 17, the former president didn’t mince words as he described the nation’s trajectory as moving “dangerously close” to autocracy.
Since leaving office in 2017, Obama has largely avoided the political spotlight. But when he does speak, it’s usually measured and deliberate. This time, his tone was sharper. “What we’re seeing right now,” he said, “is not consistent with American democracy. It is consistent with autocracies.”
He pointed to examples around the world—namely Hungary under Viktor Orbán—where elections are held but democratic norms like checks and balances, press freedom, and equality under the law are weakened or ignored. According to Obama, the U.S. is not fully there yet, “but we are dangerously close to normalizing behavior like that.”
His comments come at a time when anti-Trump protests are erupting across the country. More than 2,000 “No King” rallies were held recently, spanning all 50 states. These protests are aimed at rejecting what organizers call “authoritarianism and billionaire-first politics.” There has also been growing unrest in cities like Los Angeles, with demonstrators opposing Trump’s handling of immigration enforcement and his decision to deploy the National Guard.
Obama acknowledged these protests and praised young activists for their energy and commitment. But he emphasized that public pressure alone isn’t enough—there must also be accountability within government. “There has to be people in both parties who say, ‘No, you can’t do that,’” he said, underlining the need for bipartisan defense of democratic norms.
Despite his stark warnings, Obama maintained an optimistic tone. “I’m still the ‘hope’ guy,” he said, adding that impatience with injustice is necessary—but so is finding common ground. His message to the younger generation was clear: lasting change isn’t built on outrage alone. It’s built on building coalitions, on conversations, and on refusing to give up on people with different views.
He concluded with a reminder of the deeper values that bind a democracy together: trust, cooperation, and shared humanity. Citing Abraham Lincoln’s idea of “the better angels of our nature,” Obama stressed that when people come together in good faith, they begin to see each other not as enemies, but as neighbors—and that, he believes, is the foundation for America’s long-term survival.
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