Obama Calls Out Trump for Weaponizing Justice and Corrupt Pardons

Barack Obama wasted no time in slamming Donald Trump’s flagrant overreach of presidential power during a candid interview with Stephen Colbert at the new Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. Though he never named Trump directly, the former president laid bare the dangerous erosion of norms that have allowed Trump to weaponize the U.S. justice system for personal vendettas.

“There are a couple [of executive powers] that I followed even though they weren’t law,” Obama explained, emphasizing that past presidents generally respected unwritten rules that Trump has now shattered. “The White House shouldn’t be able to direct the attorney general to go around prosecuting whoever the president wants to prosecute.”

Obama’s critique hits at the core of Trump’s corrupt legacy: a sprawling campaign to use the Department of Justice as a tool against political foes. Trump’s former Attorney General Pam Bondi was reportedly tasked with pursuing investigations into figures like Rep. Adam Schiff, the lead impeachment manager, and former FBI Director James Comey, who oversaw probes into Russian election interference.

“This politicization of the criminal justice system is a fundamental threat,” Obama said. “You can’t have a situation in which whoever’s in charge of the government starts using that to go after their political enemies or reward their friends.”

The former president also took aim at Trump’s pardon abuses, a hallmark of his second term. With over 1,600 pardons granted, many to loyalists and campaign donors, Trump has openly mused about blanket pardons for everyone “who has come within 200 feet of the Oval,” according to The Wall Street Journal. Obama’s pointed advice: “Maybe don’t pardon people who’ve given you a bunch of campaign contributions, or invest in your businesses.”

Beyond the justice system, Obama warned against politicizing the military, stressing that commanders-in-chief must ensure the armed forces remain loyal to the Constitution and the American people—not to a single leader’s personal interests.

Finally, Obama underscored the need to eliminate conflicts of interest by preventing presidents from maintaining “side hustles” that foreign entities or companies can exploit for profit. “I thought this was a pretty obvious principle,” he said.

Obama’s remarks come as Stephen Colbert wraps up his 11-year run on The Late Show, a tenure marked by relentless criticism of Trump’s administration. In a moment of levity, Colbert asked Obama how “dumb” it would be for him to run for president. Obama’s reply was telling: “The bar has changed. I think that you could perform significantly better than some folks that we’ve seen.”

This interview is a stark reminder that the Trump presidency has left a trail of broken norms and institutional damage that demands urgent repair. As Obama suggests, codifying these basic rules into law might be the only way to prevent future abuses of power that threaten our democracy.

The White House did not respond to requests for comment on Obama’s remarks. Meanwhile, Trump continues to celebrate Colbert’s departure from CBS, dismissing the late-night host’s talent and ratings on his favorite platform, Truth Social.

For those committed to holding power accountable, Obama’s blunt assessment is a call to action: the fight to restore democratic norms and safeguard justice is far from over.