Obama sharply criticized Trump's actions aimed at transforming the federal government, repression of immigrants and intimidating the media and the legal environment.
“Imagine what would happen if I did anything of it,” said the former president during the speech at Hamilton College in New York. “It is unthinkable that the same people who are silent now tolerate such behavior on my part or my predecessors,” he added.
In his opinion, Trump's announcement of new duties on all countries “is not good for America”. Obama emphasized, however, that he was more worried about the violation of rights by the White House.
– I am more worried about the federal government, which threatens universities and wants them to give up students exercising their right to freedom of speech – said Obama. – The idea that the White House can tell law firms that it will prevent them from representing people effectively, is contrary to the basic pact that we have as Americans – he assessed.
Kamala Harris: We see organizations that are silent
In turn, Harris said that Trump's decisions were largely predictable. – There were many things that we knew they would happen – said the former vice president in a video recording published by the MSNBC station.
She emphasized that she was aware that Trump's return to the oval office caused a “great sense of fear.”
– We see organizations that are silent. We see those who undergo clearly unconstitutional threats. And these are the things we have witnessed every day in the last few months in our country, and it is understandable that it causes a great sense of fear – she said.
Harris pointed out, however, that although fear is “contagious”, it is also courage. “My dear friends, courage is also contagious,” she said.
