Barack Obama has escalated his attacks on Donald Trump, a sharp departure from his earlier playbook for handling his successor.
The 44th president issued a chilling warning about what he called the “dangerous trend” of the federalization and militarization of local and state law enforcement since Trump’s return to office in January.
“The erosion of basic principles like due process and the expanding use of our military on domestic soil puts the liberties of all Americans at risk, and should concern Democrats and Republicans alike,” Obama, 64, wrote in a post on X.
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Obama also shared an interview between New York Times columnist Ezra Klein and journalist Radley Balko, titled “Trump Is Building His Own Paramilitary Force.”
“This interview, which is also available to listen to as a podcast, provides a useful overview of some of the dangerous trends we’ve been seeing in recent months regarding federalization and militarization of state and local police functions,” he wrote.
In the interview, Balko, who has closely tracked the militarization of law enforcement under Trump, argues the president is misusing his power to build what amounts to a personal army.
He cites the federal takeover of law enforcement in Washington, D.C., and the deployment of thousands of California National Guard troops to Los Angeles during protests over Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids as key examples.
“What we’re seeing now are the tactics, operations and policies that, over the last 20 years, I refrained, or tried to restrain myself, from warning about because it would sound too unhinged,” Balko told Klein.
“So what we’re seeing is this massive increase in aggressiveness and brutality — in response to a crisis that is completely of Trump’s own making.”
Obama, who spent much of his post-presidency avoiding the political spotlight, has become increasingly vocal in recent months.
On Wednesday, he paused his annual summer playlist tradition, writing on Instagram that he was taking a break because of “everything going on.” That followed a rare public rebuke in July, in which he condemned the “constant nonsense and misinformation flowing out of this White House.”
He has also voiced support for California Governor Gavin Newsom’s challenge to gerrymandering efforts in Texas.
“Republicans are trying to redraw congressional district lines to keep their grip on Congress in the midterms and beyond,” Obama wrote on X Thursday.
“Voters should pick their politicians, not the other way around.”
One X user responded to Obama’s flurry of posts, echoing a sentiment seemingly shared by many:
“I know I speak for a lot of people when I say that we could really use your voice in the public sphere more often.”
The Daily Beast has reached out to Obama and the White House for comment.
