A Video Of Obama Exposing MAGA's Double Standards Is Going Viral, And It's A Startling Reminder Of Just How Much Things Have Changed
In a now-viral clip, former president Barack Obama shared what he described as a clear double standard between himself and Donald Trump, arguing that if he had taken the same actions as Trump is, backlash would have been immediate and intense.
"Imagine if I had done any of this," Obama said during a panel discussion at Hamilton College.
"Imagine if I had pulled Fox News' credentials from the White House press corps," he continued.
He paused as the audience chuckled. "You're laughing, but no. This is what's happened."
In February 2025, Trump indefinitely banned Associated Press journalists from places like the Oval Office and Air Force One after they refused to use the term "Gulf of America."
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He continued, "Imagine if I had said to law firms that were representing parties that were upset with policies my administration had initiated, that you will not be allowed into government buildings."
For context, Trump issued executive orders targeting major law firms that barred these firms from entering federal buildings, stripped them of security clearances, and threatened contracts. These orders have widely been regarded as retaliatory, meant to punish firms whose clients oppose Trump or his policies.
The former president then imagined what it would have looked like if he punished dissent more broadly: "We will punish you economically for dissenting from the Affordable Care Act or the Iran deal. We will ferret out students who protest against my policies."
And yet, under Trump, that's exactly what's happening. Hundreds of international students protesting the war in Gaza have had their visas revoked, with many detained or arrested by ICE. His administration has also threatened severe federal funding cuts to universities that allow such protests, most notably Columbia University, which saw $400 million in federal grants revoked amid accusations of noncompliance.
"It's unimaginable that the same parties that are silent now would have tolerated behavior like that from me or a whole bunch of my predecessors," he said.
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"I say this not on a partisan basis," he continued. "This has to do with something more precious, which is, who are we as a country, and what values do we stand for?"
Online, commenters echoed Obama's sentiments, pointing to the vastly different reactions he faced as president. "Obama would have been impeached in 3 seconds if he had done 1% of what is going on now. Where are the former presidents? Are they not going to speak up?" one wrote.
Others also recalled the trivial controversies Obama's critics focused on during his presidency, such as his choice to wear a tan suit, a fist bump with Michelle Obama, and how he ordered a burger (with Dijon mustard), all of which sparked media frenzies.
Ah yes, the good old days when ordering your burger with Dijon was basically an offensible crime.
One viral comment summed it all up: "Maga era brainwashing will be closely studied in our history."
More than a decade after "Dijongate" — when the first Black president was criticized for something as trivial as mustard on a burger — we now find ourselves in a political moment where the extraordinary has become disturbingly normal. A convicted felon leads a self-proclaimed "law and order" administration, and yet, the outrage is selective. So the question remains: What will we accept next, and who, if anyone, will be held accountable?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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