(CNN) — Former President Barack Obama and former Vice President Kamala Harris issued strong rebukes Thursday, April 3, 2025, of President Donald Trump’s second-term policies, voicing concerns over the administration’s recent actions and the state of American democracy.
Speaking in separate appearances, both leaders warned that Trump’s governance poses a serious threat to constitutional norms, civil liberties, and the rule of law.
At an event at Hamilton College, Obama — who has remained largely silent since Trump returned to the White House — broke his public silence with a candid critique of the current administration.
“So, this is the first time I’ve been speaking publicly for a while,” Obama said. “I’ve been watching for a little bit.”
He expressed alarm over Trump’s crackdown on immigration, growing pressure on dissenters, and his administration’s influence over institutions such as universities, the media, and the legal system.
“Imagine if I had done any of this,” Obama said. “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 also questioned the administration’s economic direction, saying Trump’s newly announced tariffs are unlikely to benefit the country. However, he emphasized that his greatest concern was the erosion of civil rights.
“I’m more deeply concerned with a federal government that threatens universities if they don’t give up students who are exercising their right to free speech,” he said. “That kind of behavior is contrary to the basic compact we have as Americans.”
Obama’s comments follow earlier warnings he issued during the 2024 campaign, when he predicted that a second Trump term could prove “dangerous” despite the former president’s unorthodox political style.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris, speaking at the Leading Women Defined Summit, echoed Obama’s concerns and said many of Trump’s actions were predictable.
“There were many things we knew would happen,” Harris said. “I’m not here to say I told you so,” she added, with a chuckle.
She emphasized that Trump’s return has led to a climate of anxiety, particularly among institutions and legal advocates.
“We are seeing organizations stay quiet. We are seeing those who are capitulating to clearly unconstitutional threats,” she said. “It understandably creates a great sense of fear.”
Harris’s remarks come days after Trump announced a controversial agreement with law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher, which employs her husband, Doug Emhoff. Under the deal, the firm pledged to provide $100 million in pro bono legal services during Trump’s second term. Critics view the arrangement as part of a broader trend in which the White House targets legal firms perceived as adversaries.
Emhoff addressed the growing pressure on legal institutions earlier this week:
“The rule of law is under attack. Democracy is under attack. And so, all of us lawyers need to do what we can to push back on that.”
Thursday’s speech marked Harris’s most direct commentary on Trump’s presidency since leaving office in January. She called on Americans to resist fear with collective resolve.
“Fear has a way of being contagious… And we are witnessing that,” she said. “But I say this also, my dear friends, courage is also contagious.”
