Former President Barack Obama has deliberately limited his public criticism of President Donald Trump, arguing that more frequent attacks would undermine his political standing. In a recent interview with the New Yorker, Obama explained that adopting a role akin to a daily commentator would erode his effectiveness.
“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 said. The remarks come as Trump’s approval ratings have slumped to an average of 39.7 percent, according to Decision Desk HQ, threatening GOP midterm prospects.
Since leaving office in January 2017, Obama has occasionally taken Trump to task. In February, he slammed the administration’s immigration enforcement tactics after federal officers fatally shot two American citizens in Minneapolis. “The rogue behavior of agents of the federal government is deeply concerning and dangerous,” he told liberal commentator Brian Tyler Cohen.
Obama also criticized nationwide GOP redistricting efforts, calling for nonpartisan map-drawing. “Redistricting is another good example of where I strongly believe we should not be having politicians draw lines that determine who’s voting for them,” he said. Republicans in Texas redrew congressional maps at Trump’s urging, while Democratic states like California and Virginia responded in kind, fueling a battle ahead of the midterms. Obama backed a successful Virginia ballot measure allowing Democrats to redraw maps there.
“The media environment is so difficult that people don’t even know all the stuff I am doing, right?” Obama told the New Yorker. “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?’”
Obama left the White House with a 59 percent approval rating, according to the American Presidency Project, tied for third-highest among departing presidents since Truman. In January 2025, his approval rating remained at 59 percent in a Gallup survey, the highest among five living current or former presidents. Trump’s approval rating stood at 48 percent just after his second inauguration.
Obama’s strategic restraint mirrors broader dynamics within the Democratic Party, as leaders like Hakeem Jeffries balance attacks on Trump with legislative priorities. Meanwhile, Trump’s ongoing legal battles and policy moves, including pressuring Seoul to join the Iranian conflict, continue to dominate headlines.
