Revelations About the Obamas Emerge Just Two Days After Trump's Victory

In a lengthy post shared on X (formerly Twitter), former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama tried to present themselves as composed and conciliatory toward then-President-Elect Donald Trump. Yet, it was apparent that beneath their carefully chosen words, they were far from pleased.

"Over the last few weeks and through Election Day, millions of Americans cast their votes—not just for president, but for leaders at every level," the Obamas remarked, acknowledging the record-breaking number of votes cast and that the majority chose Trump. "Now the results are in, and we want to congratulate President Trump and Senator Vance on their victory."

"This is obviously not the outcome we had hoped for, given our profound disagreements with the Republican ticket on a whole host of issues," they stated, expressing disappointment with the results but emphasizing that "democracy" involves a "peaceful transfer of power." They added, "But living in a democracy is about recognizing that our point of view won’t always win out, and being willing to accept the peaceful transfer of power."

Despite this, they went on to praise Harris and Walz, calling their campaign “remarkable.” "Michelle and I could not be prouder of Vice President Harris and Governor Walz—two extraordinary public servants who ran a remarkable campaign. And we will always be grateful to the staff and volunteers who poured their heart and soul into electing public servants they truly believed in."

In what seemed to be a rare moment of candor, they acknowledged that the economy might not be as strong for most Americans as it appears. They noted, “As I said on the campaign trail, America has been through a lot over the last few years—from a historic pandemic and price hikes resulting from the pandemic, to rapid change and the feeling a lot of folks have that, no matter how hard they work, treading water is the best they can do. Those conditions have created headwinds for democratic incumbents around the world, and last night showed that America is not immune.”

Turning to democracy in the United States, the Obamas emphasized that “democratic norms” are a core strength of the country, writing, "The good news is that these problems are solvable—but only if we listen to each other, and only if we abide by the core constitutional principles and democratic norms that made this country great."

Their message concluded with a tribute to the nation’s diversity, expressing, "In a country as big and diverse as ours, we won’t always see eye-to-eye on everything. But progress requires us to extend good faith and grace—even to people with whom we deeply disagree. That’s how we’ve come this far, and it’s how we’ll keep building a country that is more fair and more just, more equal and more free."

The post quickly attracted criticism. One commenter retorted, "You initiated the Russia-Collusion narrative against President Trump. You also weaponized the entire DOJ. Everything you did was done with an eye to creating domestic division & strife. We’re not going to simply forget that."

Another criticized Obama, alleging he persistently promoted a conspiracy theory about Trump, writing, "Thanks for showing Americans what a dishonest race-baiter you are by repeating the thoroughly debunked ‘fine people’ hoax. You did your part in delivering the presidency to Donald Trump."