Former President Barack Obama is facing intense online criticism after comments he made about the Justice Department and political prosecutions during a recent interview with late-night host Stephen Colbert.
The interview aired Tuesday night on CBS as Colbert prepares to end his canceled late-night program later this month. The appearance comes amid increasing scrutiny of late-night television by President Donald Trump and the Federal Communications Commission, which have accused networks of favoring Democratic perspectives in both guests and commentary.
During the conversation, Obama raised concerns about expanding executive branch powers and what he described as the politicization of the Justice Department. While he did not mention Trump by name, his critique was widely interpreted as a response to actions taken during the former president’s tenure.
“There are a couple that I followed, even though they weren’t law, and I want us… We’re going to have to do some work to return to this basic norm, and we probably now have to codify it,” Obama said.
He added, “The White House shouldn’t be able to direct the attorney general to go around prosecuting… the president wants to prosecute. Right, because technically it’s under the executive branch, but the norm is that it’s independent.”
Obama continued, emphasizing that the attorney general is meant to serve the American people, not act as the “president’s consigliere.”
The remarks quickly drew criticism from conservatives and Trump supporters, who highlighted past investigations and prosecutions involving Trump as evidence of perceived hypocrisy.
Commentators like Will Cain referenced the 2016 Russia investigation, which began during the final months of the Obama administration. Trump allies argue the probe unfairly targeted the then-president-elect and was politically motivated.
Others cited post-presidency legal challenges facing Trump, including the federal classified documents case, federal election-related prosecutions, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s case involving business records, and New York Attorney General Letitia James’ civil fraud lawsuit against the Trump Organization.
While some cases have been dismissed or delayed, critics contend they collectively reflect an unprecedented use of the justice system against a political opponent, often referred to as “lawfare.”
Cain commented that Obama’s remarks were “rich enough to pucker your face,” reflecting broader conservative skepticism.
Obama also urged Democrats to improve communication with voters, warning against sounding overly academic or disconnected. The interview briefly touched on lighter topics, including jokes about aliens, before returning to the subject of justice and politics.
“We can survive a lot — bad policy, funky elections, there’s a bunch of stuff that, you know, we can overcome,” Obama said. “We can’t overcome the politicization of our justice system, the awesome power of the state. You can’t have a situation in which whoever is in charge of the government starts using that to go after their political enemies or reward their friends.”
For many Trump supporters, the comments reopened discussions about years of investigations, impeachments, and legal battles targeting the former president, prompting a renewed online debate about justice, politics, and media bias.