Former President Barack Obama has addressed Donald Trump's apparent 'obsession' with him, stating that he occupies a 'suite in his head.' The remarks came during an appearance on the 'All the Smoke' podcast with former NBA player Matt Barnes.
Obama's response to Trump's fixation
Barnes brought up how Trump is 'very fascinated' with Obama and his family, then asked the former president: 'Do you ever want to cuss his a** out sometimes?' Obama replied: 'The thing about it is… the obsession. I obviously have a room in his head, a suite in his head.'
Trump frequently brings up Obama. Days before the podcast, when confronted about ongoing issues with his reflecting pool, Trump blamed Obama, who left office almost a decade ago. He told a reporter: 'Barack Hussein Obama, have you ever heard of him?'
Obama contrasts with Bush era
During the podcast, Obama said his last worry during his two terms was worrying about his predecessor, George W. Bush. 'They're gone. I've got work to do. The idea that I'd be worrying about somebody who came before and me trying to measure like, 'what's he done today?' Constantly worrying about that is a strange thing to me,' Obama added. 'It shows me somebody who is not focused on the American people and the job they're supposed to do.'
Trump's past references to Obama
In recent years, Trump has brought up Obama on numerous occasions, mainly to disparage him but also to boast about his own accomplishments while diminishing Obama's. In 2023, Trump claimed that former White House physician Ronny Jackson said he was healthier than Obama. 'He was my doctor. He was Obama's doctor, too, by the way,' Trump said. 'I said, 'Who's healthier?' He said, 'Sir, there's no contest.' I won't tell you the answer, but you know the answer, OK? It was me.'
Controversial video posted by Trump
Earlier this year, Trump posted a shocking video on Truth Social showing both Barack and Michelle Obama's faces on ape bodies. The minute-long video about rigged voting machines, which has since been deleted, included a two-second shot of the former president and first lady as apes dancing in a jungle with 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight' playing. When a journalist criticized Trump for 'not knowing what was going on in his name' after the president claimed he didn't post it, Trump lashed out, saying: 'I know a hell of a lot better than you do. You don't know what's going on. I know what's going on.'
