Twitter reacts to Barack Obama and George Bush’s rebukes of Donald Trump
At separate events in the US, both former presidents made ‘thinly veiled’ comments aimed at Trump

Former US presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush have used speeches at separate events to voice their concerns about the current state of politics in the US.
Obama, who was on the campaign trail for a fellow Democrat for the first time since leaving office, urged Americans to “reject the politics of division and fear”, while Bush took aim at “bullying and prejudice” in public life, claiming that politics had fallen prey to “conspiracy theories” and “outright fabrication”, reports CNN.
Despite neither of the former commanders-in-chief mentioning Trump by name, the comments were seen as an indictment of the current president’s time in office.
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.
CNN adds that with the comments, both Bush and Obama were “breaking the code of silence that retired commanders-in-chief normally maintain about their successors”, but that Trump would likely “not feel a thing” due to his habit of dismissing dissenting opinions.
The comments were met with mixed reactions. Evan McMullin, a former CIA operations officer and independent candidate at last year’s election, told Twitter followers he was encouraged by the speeches.
Others used Twitter to express their agreement with the comments, deriding Trump’s controversial leadership.
There was also a realisation among some Twitter users that Bush had never once used his platform to criticise Obama’s presidency, with some suggesting it indicates how controversial the Trump administration is:
Others saw it as hypocrisy:
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
July 13 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday's political cartoons include new TSA rules, FEMA cuts, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy complimenting Donald Trump's new wardrobe
-
5 weather-beaten cartoons about the Texas floods
Cartoons Artists take on funding cuts, politicizing tragedy, and more
-
What has the Dalai Lama achieved?
The Explainer Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader has just turned 90, and he has been clarifying his reincarnation plans
-
Trump uses tariffs to upend Brazil's domestic politics
IN THE SPOTLIGHT By slapping a 50% tariff on Brazil for its criminal investigation into Bolsonaro, the Trump administration is brazenly putting its fingers on the scales of a key foreign election
-
'Trump's authoritarian manipulation of language'
Instant Opinion Vienna has become a 'convenient target for populists' | Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump set to hit Canada with 35% tariffs
Speed Read The president accused Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney of failing to stop the cross-border flow of fentanyl
-
Could Trump really 'take over' American cities?
Today's Big Question Trump has proposed a federal takeover of New York City and Washington, D.C.
-
Trump threatens Brazil with 50% tariffs
Speed Read He accused Brazil's current president of leading a 'witch hunt' against far-right former leader Jair Bolsonaro
-
Is the Trump-Putin bromance over... again?
Today's Big Question The US president has admitted he's 'p*ssed off' with his opposite number
-
SCOTUS greenlights Trump's federal firings
speed read The Trump administration can conduct mass federal firings without Congress' permission, the Supreme Court ruled
-
'The way AI is discussed makes it seem like this is a necessary outcome'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day