Barack Obama and Kamala Harris criticize Donald Trump's policies, in a rare position since the Republican's return to the White House

Former US President Barack Obama and former vice-president Kamala Harris expressed on Thursday, in two separate speeches, opinions about the state of their country, while criticizing Donald Trump's actions, in a rare position after the Republican opponent returned to the White House, reporting News.ro.

At a conference organized at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, Barack Obama, Donald Trump's first predecessor, regretted the measures taken by the current white house occupant to reshape the federal government, the limit of immigration and, at the same time, intimidated the press, institutions and democratic elites.

“So it is the first time I have been talking in public for some time. I have been following a bit,” said the former Democrat (2009 – 2017). “Imagine if I had done such a thing. It is unimaginable that the same parties who are silent today would have tolerated such behavior from me or from several predecessors,” he said.

Reacting to the customs tariffs recently imposed by Donald Trump to his main commercial partners, Barack Obama said this policy “is not good for America”.

The first color president in the history of the United States has also criticized the attitude of the Republican towards certain universities, which are threatened with the withdrawal of subsidies if they do not take drastic measures to “limit anti -Semitism” in their campuses. The target is Harvard, where Barack Obama graduated.

“I am deeply worried that the federal government threatens universities if they do not expel students who exercise their right to freedom of expression,” he said in front of an audience made up of students, referring to the many pro-Palestinian demonstrations that took place on campuses throughout the country.

Similarly, Barack Obama believed that the exercise of pressure on law firms that have links with democrats is “contrary to the fundamental pact we have as Americans”, as he said.

Kamala Harris: “What we see every day creates a deep feeling of fear”

For his part, Kamala Harris, the candidate of Donald Trump at the November 2024 presidential elections, acknowledged that Donald Trump's return to the Oval Office created a “great feeling of fear”.

Earlier this week, Trump announced an agreement with the law firm, who is employed by Kamale Harris, Doug Emhoff-Willkie Farr & Gallagher-who said the company includes at least 100 million dollars in Pro Bono legal services during his second term. This was another example of high profile companies that conclude agreements with the White House, Trump aimed at companies that worked with its political enemies. Before the agreement with Willkie was announced, Emhoff addressed the subject saying: “The rule of law is attacked. Democracy is attacked. So we, lawyers, have to do everything in our power to counteract this situation.”

Harris's Thursday's observations are her most direct comments from the beginning of Trump's second term.

“We see organizations that remain silent. We see others surrendering in the face of clearly unconstitutional threats. This is what we see every day in the last months in our country and, naturally, creates a deep feeling of fear,” said Kamala Harris during his speech at the “Leading Wowen Defined” Conference. She added: “I warned you.”

“Fear is contagious. When a person is afraid, it goes to those around her and spreads. And we are undoubtedly witnesses,” she added, before concluding: “I tell you, dear friends, that the courage is contagious.”