"Justice Department Not a Tool Against Political Opponents" - Obama Indirectly Criticizes Trump

CBS Late-Night Talk Show Interview
Indirectly Criticizes Trump with Humor
White House Responds Immediately: "A Waste of Time"

Former U.S. President Barack Obama appeared on CBS’s late-night talk show, where he indirectly criticized U.S. President Donald Trump. He also advised Democratic lawmakers, “Don’t speak to voters like a scholar.”

Sharpening His Criticism

Former U.S. President Barack Obama visited students in the Bronx, New York, on the 18th of last month (local time), together with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Photo by AP News Agency

On the May 5 broadcast (local time) of CBS’s late-night talk show, “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” Obama repeatedly directed criticism without directly mentioning President Trump by name.

This interview took place amid President Trump and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) increasing pressure on late-night talk shows. The Trump administration has criticized such programs for being left-leaning in both their jokes and guest lineups.

During the show, when Colbert jokingly brought up the possibility of running for president himself and called it a “stupid idea,” Obama responded, “The standard has changed. I think you would do significantly better than some people we’ve seen. I’m very confident about that.” When Colbert asked if Obama was endorsing him, Obama jokingly replied, “No.”

When asked about powers a U.S. president should not have, Obama emphasized that “the Department of Justice must remain independent from the White House and must not be used as a tool to target political opponents.”

He stated, “The politicization of the criminal justice system is insurmountable,” adding, “The attorney general is a representative of the people, not a counselor to the president.” Although Obama did not directly mention President Trump, his remarks were interpreted as targeting Trump’s use of the Justice Department to investigate political opponents.

Praising Mamdani...Effective Communication

Obama also offered Democratic lawmakers the advice that “they must know how to speak simply.” He said, “What I care about more than whether there are internal conflicts within the Democratic Party is, ‘Can you speak to ordinary people in a way that isn’t like a college seminar? Can you communicate in plain language?’”

Former U.S. President Barack Obama (left) and Zohran Mamdani, New York City Council Member. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

He highlighted New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani as a prime example of effective communication, praising him as “extraordinarily talented.” The New York Times noted that Mayor Mamdani, a democratic socialist, is considered far more progressive than Obama himself.

Obama criticized Democratic politicians for using complex political jargon that is hard to understand, language more suited to academics. This stands in contrast to President Trump, who, despite using an unrefined style, delivers his message clearly in plain language.

When asked whether the administration is hiding secrets about extraterrestrial life, Obama laughed and said no. He clarified that, although he recently made headlines for saying he believes aliens might exist, this belief is not based on any government secrets.

Meanwhile, after the interview was released, Davis Ingle, the White House press secretary, issued a statement condemning it, saying, “Only pathetic failures like Colbert would waste their time interviewing one of the worst presidents in history.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.