Former U.S. President Barack Obama and former Vice President Kamala Harris delivered remarks on Thursday, April 3, reflecting on the state of the country under President Donald Trump’s second term, criticizing the administration’s recent actions.
Obama, who served before Trump’s first term, sharply criticized Trump’s efforts to reshape the federal government, crack down on immigration and dissent, and intimidate news outlets and the legal establishment.
“This is the first time I’ve been speaking publicly for a while,” Obama said during an on-stage interview at Hamilton College. “I’ve been watching for a little bit.”
“Imagine if I had done any of this,” Obama continued. “It’s unimaginable that the same parties who are silent now would have tolerated behavior like that from me, or many of my predecessors.” Obama also expressed concern over Trump’s new tariff announcement, stating, “I don’t think it’s going to be good for America.” However, he emphasized that his main concern was the White House’s infringement of rights.
“I’m more deeply concerned with a federal government that threatens universities if they don’t give up students exercising their right to free speech,” Obama said to the college crowd. “The idea that a White House can say to law firms, ‘If you represent parties that we don’t like, we’re going to pull all our business or bar you from representing people effectively.’ That kind of behavior is contrary to the basic compact we have as Americans.”
In separate remarks, Harris commented that Trump’s actions since returning to office were largely predictable.
“There were many things we knew would happen,” Harris said in a video of her speech at the Leading Women Defined Summit. “I’m not here to say I told you so,” she added, laughing.
Harris acknowledged that Trump’s return to the Oval Office has created “a great sense of fear.”
“We are seeing organizations stay quiet. We are seeing those who are capitulating to clearly unconstitutional threats. These are the things we are witnessing, day by day, in our country, and it understandably creates a great sense of fear,” Harris said.
Earlier in the week, Trump announced a deal with the law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher, which employs former second gentleman Doug Emhoff. The deal includes the firm agreeing to provide at least $100 million in pro bono legal services throughout Trump’s second term, further illustrating the White House’s involvement with firms that have done work for his perceived political enemies.
Before the Willkie agreement was revealed, Emhoff had addressed the issue, stating, “The rule of law is under attack. Democracy is under attack. And so, all of us lawyers need to do what we can to push back on that.” Harris’ remarks on Thursday were the most direct she had made since the beginning of Trump’s second term.
The former vice president, who lost to Trump in the November election, also stated that while fear is “contagious,” so is courage.
“Fear has a way of being contagious. When one person has fear, it spreads to those around them,” Harris said at the gathering of female leaders of color. “But I say this also, my dear friends, courage is also contagious.”
