Obama Delivers Veiled Critique Of Trump At Opening Of Presidential Center In Chicago

Last Updated:June 19, 2026, 00:35 IST

Barack Obama said he hoped the center would help preserve the "shared values that make democracy possible".

Former US President Barack Obama delivered a pointed defense of democratic norms and American civic values during the opening ceremony of the Obama Presidential Center, appearing to criticize US President Donald Trump without mentioning him by name.

Speaking before a crowd gathered at the long-awaited presidential campus on Chicago’s South Side, Barack Obama said he hoped the center would help preserve the “shared values that make democracy possible" and serve as a reminder of the principles that have guided the United States through periods of division and change.

Among those values, Barack Obama said, is “a belief in the peaceful transfer of power after the people have spoken in fair and free elections, recognizing that in a large complicated society like ours no group or faction gets its way 100% of the time."

He also stressed the importance of character in public life, asserting, “A belief that qualities of character- honesty, integrity, kindness, compassion, a sense of duty and honor- those things matter in our public dealings just as they do in our public lives."

The US former president described those ideals as fundamentally American rather than partisan.

“These are the values and traditions I believe in, and they are not Republican or Democratic values. They’re American values we can all share regardless of party," he said, adding, “Values every president here today, as different as we are, has tried our best to uphold."

Barack Obama specifically praised his former Republican rivals, Senator John McCain and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, saying they shared the same commitment to democratic principles despite political differences.

“It is our greatest inheritance, the story of America at its best, because it reflects a basic faith in the decency of our fellow citizens and the possibility that despite all our differences we can see each other and understand each other and make a common cause together," he added.

Trump’s relationship with Barack Obama has been marked by years of political conflict dating back to Trump’s promotion of false claims questioning Obama’s birthplace.

Former First Lady Michelle Obama also used her speech to deliver a message about civic engagement and inclusion. While she did not mention Trump or members of his administration by name, she appeared to criticize the administration’s immigration policies.

“No one has the right to sit in judgment of who’s American enough," she said, urging citizens to remain active participants in public life.

The ceremony brought together an unusual gathering of American political figures, including former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Joe Biden. The event also featured performances by Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen and Christina Aguilera.

The Obama Presidential Center, which officially opens to the public on Juneteenth, has been more than a decade in the making and cost approximately $850 million to build. The sprawling campus includes a presidential museum, public gardens, athletic facilities, community spaces and a new branch of the Chicago Public Library.

News world Obama Delivers Veiled Critique Of Trump At Opening Of Presidential Center In Chicago

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