This is the first time that Obama has discussed Trump’s presidency since he left office earlier this month.
The office of Barack Obama has released a statement which supports the ongoing protests that are occurring around the US. The former US president has stated that he opposes any policy that discriminates against individuals because of their faith or religion, saying that “American values are at stake.”
Since leaving the White House, Obama has tried to keep a low public profile, a tradition that’s pursued by the majority of outgoing presidents, as the transition of power to Donald Trump unfolds.
The former president has broken his silence though as Kevin Lewis, spokesman for Obama in his post-presidential life, said that Obama is “heartened by the level of engagement taking place in communities around the country.”
Obama statement on the protests of Trump's Executive Order pic.twitter.com/EnLodhaG0T
— Sam Stein (@samstein) January 30, 2017
The statement reads:
President Obama is heartened by the level of engagement taking place in communities around the country. In his final official speech as President, he spoke about the important role of citizen (sic) and how all Americans have a responsibility to be the guardians of our democracy—not just during an election but every day.
Citizens exercising their Constitutional right to assemble, organize and have their voices heard by their elected officials is exactly what we expect to see when American values are at stake.
With regard to comparisons to President Obama’s foreign policy decisions, as we’ve heard before, the President fundamentally disagrees with the notion of discriminating against individuals because of their faith or religion.
Quotes via Politico
