Former President Barack Obama expressed concern on Tuesday that the United States is veering dangerously close to embracing autocratic norms. Speaking at an event in Hartford, Connecticut, he told the audience that the country’s current political environment is not aligned with democratic values. Instead, he said, it’s beginning to reflect patterns seen in authoritarian regimes.
Obama, referencing the actions and rhetoric under the Trump administration, cautioned that while the U.S. hasn’t fully crossed into autocracy, the normalization of certain behaviors is a serious red flag. His remarks were reported by Connecticut Public Radio during a discussion with Heather Cox Richardson, a historian and Boston College professor known for her political newsletter “Letters from an American.”
Throughout the conversation, Obama emphasized that the principles long upheld by the United States especially those reinforced since World War II are being undermined. He criticized the lack of genuine commitment to democratic ideals by current federal leadership and noted that what many Americans once took for granted about how liberal democracy functions is now under threat.
His criticism extended beyond the administration itself and toward the broader Republican Party. He pointed out that the 2020 presidential election results were clear, and attempts to dispute them were based on falsehoods. Using a touch of humor, he recalled claims about inauguration crowd sizes, saying, “One person won the election, and it wasn’t the guy complaining about it. That’s just a fact just like my inauguration had more people.”
Obama said he raised the point not out of vanity but to stress the importance of truth in public discourse. He warned that dismissing basic facts erodes the foundation of democracy, making it easier for undemocratic practices to take hold.
