Former President Barack Obama has come under intense scrutiny online following remarks about the Justice Department and purported political prosecutions during a recent late-night interview.
Obama made his comments while appearing on Stephen Colbert’s CBS program, which is facing criticism from President Donald Trump and the Federal Communications Commission over claims of bias towards Democrats in both guest selections and political discussions.
In the interview, Obama expressed concerns regarding the expansion of executive branch powers and the alleged politicization within the Justice Department. While he did not mention Trump directly, it was clear whom he was critiquing.
“There are a couple that I followed, even though they weren’t law, and I want us… We’re going to have to do some work to return to this basic norm, and we probably now have to codify it,” Obama stated.
He added, “The White House shouldn’t be able to direct the attorney general to go around prosecuting… the president wants to prosecute. Right, because technically it’s under the executive branch, but the norm is that it’s independent.”
Obama further asserted that the attorney general should represent the American populace, rather than act as “the president’s consigliere.”
WATCH:
🚨 NOW: Barack Hussein Obama is getting RIPPED for dropping this line with a straight face
“The White House shouldn’t be able to direct the Attorney General to go around prosecuting whoever the president wants prosecuted!” 🤡
WILL CAIN: “That’s RICH enough now to pucker your… pic.twitter.com/xib1mq81ff
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) May 6, 2026
The backlash from conservatives and Trump supporters was instantaneous, particularly highlighting the prolonged investigations and prosecutions aimed at Trump during Obama’s and Biden’s presidencies.
<pCritics like Will Cain brought up the Russia investigation initiated in the last months of the Obama administration as an instance of politically motivated actions against Trump.
Others noted the multiple legal challenges Trump faced after leaving office, including the federal classified documents case and various criminal and civil suits. While some cases were dismissed, conservatives view these efforts as part of an unprecedented campaign of “lawfare” against a political adversary.
Cain ridiculed Obama’s remarks, suggesting they were “rich enough to pucker your face.”
Obama also encouraged Democrats to better connect with voters, cautioning his party not to appear overly academic or disconnected. The conversation touched on lighter topics, including jokes about aliens, but shifted focus back to serious political discussions surrounding his comments on prosecutions.
This interview comes at a particularly charged political time as Trump’s administration continues to confront major media outlets and television networks over alleged political biases. Colbert has often been a target of Trump’s ire due to his frequent criticisms of conservatives.
“We can survive a lot — bad policy, funky elections, there’s a bunch of stuff that, you know, we can overcome,” Obama stated. “We can’t overcome the politicization of our justice system, the awesome power of the state. You can’t have a situation in which whoever is in charge of the government starts using that to go after their political enemies or reward their friends.”
However, for many Trump supporters, Obama’s comments have resurfaced old grievances related to the numerous investigations and impeachment attempts faced by the former president.
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