Over the past two weeks, three former US presidents — Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden — have publicly criticized the current head of state, Donald Trump, which is unprecedented for American politics.
Points of attention
- Three former US presidents — Clinton, Obama, and Biden — have publicly criticized Trump, which is a rare and unprecedented event in American politics.
- Obama, Biden, and Clinton oppose Trump's policy decisions focused on conflict and resentment, indicating serious disagreements about the direction of the United States.
- Former presidents usually refrain from publicly criticizing their successors, making this public criticism by Clinton, Obama, and Biden even more significant.
Obama, Biden and Clinton criticize Trump
Former US presidents usually refrain from publicly criticizing their successors.
Obama, Biden, and Clinton did not directly mention Trump, but their message was clear. The only living president who has not spoken since his inauguration is Republican George W. Bush, although he has made no secret of his antipathy toward Trump.
Obama, speaking on April 3 at Hamilton College in New York State, spoke out against Trump's persecution of universities and other institutions and called on those with the resources to fight back.
We all have to fix this. It won't happen because someone will come and save you.
Biden on Tuesday condemned Elon Musk's cuts to Social Security, his first public statement since leaving office.
In less than 100 days, this administration has done so much damage and caused so much destruction.
Joe Biden
Former President of the United States
Clinton on April 19 condemned the desire to dominate and the focus on grievances.
It's as if everyone is arguing about whose views are more important, whose views are more valid, when you can embellish the truth a little to gain an advantage. If our lives are dominated by efforts to dominate people we disagree with, we will jeopardize the 250-year march toward a more perfect union.
Historians say it is unusual for a president to publicly criticize his successor in the United States, given the American tradition of smooth transitions of power and the principle that the country has one president at a time. The fact that three former heads of state have done so in such a short period of time is unprecedented.
Timothy Naftali, a historian at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, notes the significance of the fact that this criticism is occurring even before the end of the first 100 days of Trump's presidency.
Typically, former presidents give the incumbent a chance to establish himself and learn the rules of the road. ... But these presidents already see the outlines of the changes that President Trump wants to bring.
At the same time, their relationship with Trump is also marked by personal animosity and mutual attacks and insults.
