On Saturday, former U.S President Barack Obama broke his silence on current politics. He endorsed an op-ed written by 148 African Americans who served in his administration that called out Donald Trump for recent comments degrading 4 U.S congresswomen of color. Obama tweeted with a link to the op-ed published on Friday in The Washington Post. He tweeted, “I’ve always been proud of what this team accomplished during my administration. But more than what we did, I’m proud of how they’re continuing to fight for an America that’s better”. The former Obama administration officials vowed to stand up against the Racism, Sexism, Homophobia, and Xenophobia. They said, “We are African Americans, we are patriots, and we refuse to sit idly by”.
They also wrote, “There is truly nothing more un-American than calling on fellow citizens to leave our country – by citing their immigrant roots, or ancestry, or their unwillingness to sit in quiet obedience while democracy is being undermined”. After Trump tweeted that four minority lawmakers should “go back” to the places they were from and a crowd of Trump supporters chanted “Send her back!” at a campaign rally pointing to Ilhan Omar (a Somali refugee who became a U.S citizen in 2000). The former first lady Michelle Obama also shies away from Trump-era outrage, made known her disdain for Trump’s comments.
Michelle Obama tweeted, “What truly makes our country great is its diversity (an apparent reference to Trump’s campaign slogan). I’ve seen that beauty in so many ways over the years. Whether we are born here or seek refuge here, there’s a place for us all. We must remember it’s not my America or your America. It’s our America”. The former President Obama re-tweeted his wife, but that was the closest he came to weighing in on the issue of Trump’s racist remarks until he shared his former staff’s op-ed. Obama has been extremely selective since leaving the office about when he weighs in. Former presidents generally refrain from criticizing their successors, even if they are from opposite political parties.