Obama ‘takes a swipe at Trump’ in shootings statement
Former president calls on US to reject racist language from leaders

Barack Obama has called on Americans to reject language from any of their leaders that feeds hatred or normalises racism, after 31 people died in mass shootings in Texas and Ohio.
Although the former US president did not name anyone, the BBC points out that his “rare comments” came after Donald Trump sought to “deflect” criticism that his “anti-immigrant rhetoric” had “fuelled violence”.
Obama’s words were a clear “swipe at Trump”, Buzzfeed says.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In his statement released on Twitter, Obama said: “We should soundly reject language coming out of the mouths of any of our leaders that feeds a climate of fear and hatred or normalises racist sentiments; leaders who demonise those who don't look like us, or suggest that other people, including immigrants, threaten our way of life, or refer to other people as sub-human, or imply that America belongs to just one certain type of people.”
He continued: “It has no place in our politics and our public life. And it's time for the overwhelming majority of Americans of goodwill, of every race and faith and political party, to say as much - clearly and unequivocally.”
The Atlantic praised Obama for rising to the moment, saying he “still sounds like a president”.
This is not the first time that the Democrat has criticised his White House successor. During a speech at the University of Illinois last year, he referred to Trump’s response to the deadly attack during a neo-Nazi rally in Charlottesville.
"We're supposed to stand up to discrimination, and we're sure as heck supposed to stand up clearly and unequivocally to Nazi sympathisers. How hard can that be, saying that Nazis are bad?"
In July, Obama tweeted a link to an article written by 149 black staffers who worked on his administration, criticising Trump after he said congresswomen Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley, and Rashida Tlaib should “go back” to their countries.
Obama released his latest statement after Trump responded to the mass shootings over the weekend. Speaking at the White House, the US president said “Mental illness and hate pull the trigger, not the gun.”
He continued: “In one voice, our nation must condemn racism, bigotry and white supremacy. These sinister ideologies must be defeated. Hate has no place in America.”
He called for enhanced co-operation between government agencies and social media companies, reforms to mental health laws and the end of the “glorification of violence”.
He said the internet and “gruesome” video games promote violence in society, saying: “It is too easy today for troubled youth to surround themselves with a culture that celebrates violence.”
Responding to the president’s statement, CNN’s Zachary B. Wolf wrote that Trump blamed “everything but his own” words for hate in America.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
A tall ship adventure in the Mediterranean
The Week Recommends Sailing aboard this schooner and exploring Portugal, Spain and Monaco is a 'magical' experience
-
How drone warfare works
The Explainer From Ukraine to Iran, it has become clear that unmanned aircraft are rapidly revolutionising modern warfare
-
The tourist flood in the Mediterranean: can it be stemmed?
Talking Point Finger-pointing at Airbnb or hotel owners obscures the root cause of overtourism in holiday hotspots: unmanageable demand
-
Trump's strikes on Iran: a 'spectacular success'?
In Depth Military humiliations 'expose the brittleness' of Tehran's ageing regime, but risk reinforcing its commitment to its nuclear program
-
Will NATO countries meet their new spending goal?
today's big question The cost of keeping Trump happy
-
GOP races to revise megabill after Senate rulings
Speed Read A Senate parliamentarian ruled that several changes to Medicaid included in Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" were not permissible
-
Trump plans Iran talks, insists nuke threat gone
Speed Read 'The war is done' and 'we destroyed the nuclear,' said President Trump
-
Trump embraces NATO after budget vow, charm offensive
Speed Read The president reversed course on his longstanding skepticism of the trans-Atlantic military alliance
-
Bibi's back: what will Netanyahu do next?
Today's Big Question Riding high after a series of military victories, Israel's PM could push for peace in Gaza – or secure his own position with snap election
-
Trump judge pick told DOJ to defy courts, lawyer says
Speed Read Emil Bove, a top Justice Department official nominated by Trump for a lifetime seat, stands accused of encouraging government lawyers to mislead the courts and defy judicial orders
-
The ambiguous legal state of ectopic pregnancy care
The Explainer Rep. Kat Cammack's accusations of 'fearmongering' are the latest example of how mixed messages are complicating the debate around abortion