Obama Met With Canada’s Prime Minister And MAGA Is Convinced It’s A Plot Against Trump

Share
LinkedInPin
Former U.S. President Barack Obama speaks
Kena Betancur / AFP via Getty Images / TNS

What to Know

01 Former President Barack Obama recently visited Canada to speak at a Canadian think‑tank gala event.
02 Canada's Prime Minister, Mark Carney, posted about the visit on social media.
03 The post sparked backlash among conservatives, who were convinced Obama was undermining President Donald Trump.

Former President Barack Obama recently traveled to Toronto, Canada for an event, and MAGA supporters are upset about it. Obama was there to speak at a private event held by Canada 2020, a Canadian think-tank. He was not involved in any diplomacy during the visit, but after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney posted about it, prominent members of the MAGA movement became convinced that Obama was in Canada pretending to be the current president of the United States and stepping on President Donald Trump’s toes.

Carney shared a video featuring Obama and thanked the former president for visiting.

“Welcome back to Canada, President @BarackObama,” the prime minister wrote on social media. “Thank you for joining us in Toronto for important conversations on how we can build a better and more just future — and empower more people to build with us.”

Perhaps without understanding the context in which Obama was visiting Canada and meeting with Carney, some critics accused him of violating the Logan Act, which prohibits private citizens from negotiating with foreign governments that the U.S. is in conflict with.

Reacting to Carney’s post, one critic wrote, “This should not be allowed. He is clearly there to undermine President Trump’s agenda and America.”

People questioned what Obama was even doing there.

They also took issue with the fact that Carney referred to Obama as “President Barack Obama.” However, it’s not unusual for former presidents to meet up with world leaders at events. “Isn’t @realDonaldTrump the US president @POTUS ? Why is @MarkJCarney meeting the 44th president, three leaders back?” someone else questioned on X. “Seems unusual?”

Far-right commentator Laura Loomer wrote, “Why is Barack Hussein Obama meeting with world leaders while President Trump is in office? This is a coup.”

Conservative columnist Buzz Patterson added, “What the hell is Obama up to? Hmmm….more subterfuge? It can’t be good for the US.” One critic called Obama and Carney “disgusting” because of this interaction. They told Carney that he chose to meet with “the wrong person.”

Another critic questioned, “Do you mean Barack Obama is still president since you just called him President Barack Obama? @realDonaldTrump This should worry the US a little.” Others said Obama is just a “grifter” who has “no relevance on the world stage any longer.”

Obama recently said he’s more involved in politics than he would’ve liked to be.

One critic on X wrote, “American Presidents used to know to stay off the world stage when they left office.” But based on a recent interview with The New Yorker, Obama imagined his post-presidency life being a bit more relaxing than it is currently. Thanks to Trump, he has described his involvement in politics as “more than I would have preferred.”

Obama admitted that his continued involvement in politics has been a source of tension in his marriage.

“(My wife, Michelle) wants to see her husband easing up and spending more time with her, enjoying what remains of our lives,” he told The New Yorker. “It does create a genuine tension in our household, and it frustrates her.”

Speaking about the pressure to remain involved, he added, “I’m more forgiving of it, in the sense that I understand why people feel that way, because people aren’t looking at me in historical comparison to other Presidents. They don’t care about the fact that no other ex-President was the main surrogate for the Party for four election cycles after they left office.”

READ NEXT:

Paige Sheffield (she/her)