Obama Slams Institutions Caving to Trump: 'Fallen Victim' to the Idea 'Everything Is About Money'

Source: MEDIAite

Jun 16th, 2026, 5:03 pm


Former President Barack Obama slammed institutions who have caved to President Donald Trump by falling victim to the notion “everything is about money” and other perceived status symbols. Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama spoke at a stakeholder reception on Tuesday afternoon ahead of the opening ceremony for the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago.

In his speech, Barack Obama praised the work ethics and family-first mindsets of Michelle Obama’s parents, a former secretary and pump operatpt, to whom some of the areas and exhibits in the Presidential Center are dedicated.

“They represent to me what’s best about this country and what’s best about our values,” he said of her parents. “People who aren’t trying to get every last nickel and aren’t cutting corners when it comes to values and treat people high and low with respect and kindness and handle their business, just salt of the earth, bedrock people. There are people like that all across the South Side of Chicago, and there are people like that all across this great country of ours, and their voices are not heard.”

Though he did not name Trump in particular, Obama proceeded to criticize the institutions that have succumbed to negative values seemingly purported by the current administration for perpetuating the silencing of people’s voices nationwide.

Read more: https://www.mediaite.com/politics/obama-slams-institutions-caving-to-trump-fallen-victim-to-the-idea-everything-is-about-money/