Donald Trump’s fixation on former President Barack Obama has long bordered on obsessive. Now, it’s official government policy. Trump’s Justice Department has launched a federal grand jury investigation targeting former Obama administration officials—an apparent political hit job tied to Trump’s long-standing false claims that Obama and his team “manufactured” the Russia investigation to sabotage his presidency. Many have opined that Trump ran for president not to save the country, but to save himself. After being convicted on 34 felony counts, found liable for sexual assault, and held civilly responsible for massive business fraud, Trump launched his 2024 campaign under legal siege. And it worked—he’s once again in the Oval Office.
Now, he’s going after the one man he’s despised more than anyone else: Obama.
Backed by a Supreme Court ruling that grants him immunity for “official acts,” Trump has unleashed his Justice Department to investigate Obama-era officials in what critics say is a dangerous political revenge plot. Attorney General Pam Bondi has convened a federal grand jury to examine whether former CIA Director John Brennan, FBI Director James Comey, and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper conspired to fabricate the Trump-Russia scandal. But Trump hasn’t stopped at the officials. He’s now publicly named Obama, accusing him of treason and demanding criminal prosecution. “Look, he’s guilty. It’s not a question,” Trump declared from the Oval Office. “This was treason. It’s time to go after people”.
Obama’s team responded forcefully: “These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction”. But the distractions may be a cover for something far more sinister. Trump has reportedly posted memes depicting Obama behind bars. He’s shared edited videos suggesting Obama should be jailed. Even once posting an AI doctored video of Obama on his knees before Trump, who has openly fantasized about imprisoning his predecessor. With a Justice Department under his control and no constitutional guardrails he’s willing to respect, the fear is no longer hypothetical: Barack Obama could become the first former U.S. president to be criminally targeted by his successor, not for crimes, but for political vengeance.
And here’s what might hurt Trump the most: a new national poll shows that in a hypothetical 2028 matchup, Obama would beat him handily. A survey by Daily Mail and J.L. Partners found Obama leading Trump 52% to 41%, well beyond the margin of error. Obama dominates across key demographics, winning 73% of Hispanic voters, 68% of Black voters, and 50% of independents. No other Democrat fares as well. Trump narrowly defeats both Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton in similar hypothetical matchups. But when it comes to Obama, Trump loses—and he knows it.
That may explain why Trump continues to float extra-constitutional schemes. Despite the 22nd Amendment’s two-term limit, Trump told NBC News in March he was “not joking” about seeking a third term. “There are methods which you could do it,” he said, pointing to Vice President JD Vance potentially running and handing the presidency back to him. His allies are on board. Rep. Andy Ogles has introduced legislation to remove presidential term limits. Steve Bannon predicted Trump “will run and win again in 2028.” And the White House posted a meme of Trump wearing a crown with the caption “LONG LIVE THE KING.”
Trump’s obsession with Obama has always been racial and personal. He launched his political career by pushing the false “birther” conspiracy. According to his former fixer, Michael Cohen, Trump’s hatred is “purely racial… solely predicated on the fact that Barack Obama is Black.” He once paid an Obama impersonator to mock and fire him on video, Cohen stated earlier.Now, with the power of the presidency behind him and a legal system twisted to serve his ambitions, Trump appears ready to do what dictators do: jail his predecessor.
Obama has never indicated any interest in running again. But with Trump trying to imprison him, and a poll showing the public still firmly in Obama’s corner, the former president may face a future where running isn’t about returning to power—it’s about protecting himself from a political predator who believes he’s above the law. “He’s not running to help the country,” former Republican Rep. Will Hurd said of Trump in 2024. “He’s running for president to stay out of prison”. And if Trump can run to avoid prison, Obama may have to run to avoid being put in one. “These claims are outrageous,” Obama’s spokesperson said. “And a weak attempt at distraction.”
