Barack Obama has issued one of his strongest warnings yet against Donald Trump, accusing his successor of turning local police forces into a paramilitary arm of the White House.
The former president, 64, broke from his usual low profile to declare that the “erosion of basic principles like due process” and the use of military troops on American soil now put the liberties of every citizen in danger.
Posting on X, Obama said:
Sharing an Explosive Interview
Obama pointed followers to a New York Times interview with journalist Radley Balko, bluntly titled: “Trump Is Building His Own Paramilitary Force.”
Balko argued that Trump is deliberately building a personal army by federalizing state and local law enforcement. He highlighted two flashpoints:
• Trump’s takeover of policing in Washington, D.C., and
• The deployment of thousands of California National Guard troops during anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles.
“What we’re seeing now is a massive increase in aggressiveness and brutality,” Balko warned, blaming Trump for creating the very crises he claims to solve.
Obama Steps Back Into the Arena
For years, Obama steered clear of political fights, but in recent months, he has been increasingly outspoken.
• In July, he blasted the “constant nonsense and misinformation” flowing from Trump’s White House.
• He also skipped his annual summer playlist tradition, saying he was pausing because of “everything going on.”
• And this week, he threw his support behind California Governor Gavin Newsom, who is battling Republican efforts to gerrymander districts in Texas.
Barack Obama Said: “Voters Should Pick Their Politicians, Not the Other Way Around”
Obama’s new tone has been met with enthusiasm online. One X user wrote:
With Trump threatening to send federal forces into Chicago, the clash between the current and former presidents is escalating into one of the sharpest political battles of Trump’s second term.
