Former President Barack Obama is facing backlash after blasting President Trump for deploying the National Guard to Chicago—despite his own history of using federal force during domestic unrest.
In a newly released episode of WTF with Marc Maron, Obama criticized Trump’s decision to send 200 National Guard troops to Chicago, calling it “inherently corrupting” for a president to use the military “against their own people.”
“When you have the military that can direct force against their own people, that is inherently corrupting,” Obama said. “When you start seeing the politicization of the military — deliberately — that’s dangerous.”
Maron interrupted to add, “They just landed in Chicago!” — referring to Trump’s latest deployment.
Obama continued his rebuke, warning that Trump’s actions were undermining longstanding American principles:
“When you have what looks like a deliberate end run around not just a concept but a law that’s been around for a long time — Posse Comitatus — that says you don’t use our military on domestic soil unless there is an extraordinary emergency… it weakens democracy.”
Maron chimed in again, referencing how Trump had framed rising crime as a form of domestic terrorism.
Obama agreed, calling it “a genuine effort to weaken how we have understood democracy.”
The timing of Obama’s remarks raised eyebrows, as critics pointed to what they say is a glaring double standard. During his own presidency, Obama deployed federal forces during protests in cities like Baltimore and Ferguson.
Meanwhile, Trump defended his actions by citing surging violence in Chicago, particularly over the Labor Day weekend.
“When I watch the news and see nine people killed and 54 wounded by gunfire in one weekend, I say, ‘That’s not our country. We have to do something,’” Trump said in early September.
According to ABC 7 Chicago, 58 people were shot during that weekend—an 87% increase over the same period the previous year.
In addition to National Guard troops, Trump also sent ICE and Border Patrol personnel to assist with immigration enforcement in the city, sparking fierce opposition from Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.
Two Democratic lawmakers have since filed a lawsuit to block the deployment.
But not everyone in Chicago is against it. Ray Lopez, a Democratic alderman representing the city’s 15th Ward, voiced support for the increased federal presence:
“Many in the city support having the additional resources to keep both ICE agents and community members safe,” Lopez said.
He criticized state and local leaders for what he described as a refusal to support basic law enforcement:
“There’s been a complete abdication of responsibility by Governor Pritzker and the mayor. They’ve failed to allow police to do their job and maintain peace,” Lopez continued. “We need to bring some sanity back to the conversation — and most Chicagoans want that.”
Obama also took a swipe at Fox News, speculating on how the network would have reacted had he deployed the National Guard the way Trump has.
“It’s mind-boggling to think how Fox would’ve responded,” Obama said.
He concluded by claiming Trump has “weakened” American democracy since returning to office in January:
“A lot of the norms, civic habits, expectations, and institutional guardrails we took for granted have been damaged — and it’s been systematic,” Obama warned.
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