At a recent appearance at Hamilton College, former President Barack Obama got candid about the double standard that defined his presidency in contrast to that of his successor, Donald J. Trump.
In a conversation that pulled no punches, Obama called attention to a political and cultural contradiction many Americans — especially Black Americans — have long recognized. He posed a powerful question to the audience: What if I had done what Trump has done?
“Imagine if I had done any of this,” Obama said. “Imagine if I had pulled Fox News’ credentials from the White House press corps. Imagine if I had said to law firms that were representing parties that were upset with policies my administration had initiated, that you will not be allowed into government buildings. We will punish you economically for dissenting from the Affordable Care Act or the Iran deal. We will ferret out students who protest against my policies.”
For eight years, Obama walked an impossibly narrow line — one defined by dignity, decorum, and the weight of being the first Black president in a country that often holds Black excellence to an unattainable standard.
He didn’t say anything new, but he said it plainly. The contrast between what Obama could not do versus what Trump can do — and often gets away with — is glaring.
Obama: Imagine if I had done any of this. Imagine if I had pulled Fox News’ credentials from the White House press corps. Imagine if I had said to law firms that were representing parties that were upset with policies my administration had initiated, that you will not be allowed… pic.twitter.com/htecKDCbyi
— Acyn (@Acyn) April 4, 2025
From a press deemed “hostile” to dissenting law firms, Trump has unapologetically wielded his influence to punish critics, undermine institutions, and upend democratic norms. And somehow, many of those who once championed constitutional integrity and limited government have either turned a blind eye or actively enabled it.
The double standard is more than partisan politics — it’s a reflection of the deeper racial and moral inconsistencies embedded in American life. Obama was criticized for wearing a tan suit. Trump was praised by his base for cozying up to dictators, inciting insurrection, and weaponizing the Department of Justice.
Obama was scrutinized for using Dijon mustard. Trump used the presidency to push his personal businesses, avoid accountability, and undermine the credibility of an entire election.
This is not just about two presidents. It’s about what America expects — and demands — from Black leadership versus what it forgives in white ones. Obama was often expected to be perfect. Trump is celebrated for being intentionally disruptive.
To be Black and in power in America is to be constantly surveilled, second-guessed, and stripped of grace. Obama navigated that reality with relentless poise, but now, in the rearview, he is right to question: would the same people who defended every Trump transgression have stayed silent if it were him?
Unlikely.
“It’s unimaginable that the same parties that are silent now would have tolerated behavior like that from me, or a whole bunch of my predecessors,” Obama shared.
