"Likes and Respects Obama"... Why Did Trump Change Stance Toward His Rival?

Donald Trump, the Republican candidate for the U.S. presidential election and former U.S. president, made positive remarks about former President Barack Obama, with whom he had long been at odds. On the 20th (local time), in an interview with CNN, Trump said about Obama, "I like him" and "I think he is a great gentleman."

Former President Barack Obama and Candidate Trump
Photo by AFP, AP, Yonhap News Agency

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While praising Obama, Trump also made negative evaluations of the former president. He claimed, "Obama was very weak in the area of trade," and "If you look at what countries like Japan and China did to the U.S., it was a disaster." Even immediately after making these negative remarks about Obama, Trump reiterated friendly comments, saying, "I respect him, and I respect his wife as well." CNN described Trump's remarks that day as unusual.

Earlier, during the 2008 presidential election, Trump actively spread conspiracy theories claiming that Obama, who had a black father born in Kenya, was constitutionally ineligible to run for president because he was not born in the U.S. In response, Obama, who was born in Hawaii, even released his birth certificate, and later did not hide his discomfort toward Trump.

Michelle Obama, the former president's wife, claimed in her 2018 autobiography that Trump was "not normal and despicable." Meanwhile, the background behind Trump's positive remarks about Obama is unknown. On the other hand, the Obama couple is scheduled to appear as speakers on the second day of the Democratic National Convention to appeal for support for Vice President Harris, who is challenging for the presidency.

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