All articles tagged with #barack obama
President Donald Trump posted a doctored image of Barack and Michelle Obama with graffiti on Air Force One, including slogans like 'Yes We Can' and 'BLM' and Arabic text—a racist post that follows a prior controversy; the White House did not comment, and the post comes as Trump rolls out a new Air Force One and heads into travel abroad.
President Donald Trump posted a doctored image showing the Obamas with graffiti on Air Force One, prompting criticism and renewed debate over political messaging on social media.
Barack Obama reportedly tried to offer notes on a set of HBO’s Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness, only to be playfully shut down by Larry David, who quipped “I’m the president of this.” The exchange highlights the jokey dynamic between the former president and the comedian as Obama cameoed in the series, produced by Higher Ground and David, ahead of its summer premiere.
A cultural review of HBO’s Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness argues Larry David’s satire reframes American exceptionalism as a nation of complainers, using guest stars and Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground to question whether citizens’ cynicism has always defined the republic, amid current political rancor and waning trust.
USA TODAY’s review of HBO’s Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness finds Larry David’s history-sketch show largely cringe and slow, with Barack Obama largely behind the scenes; while a few gags land, the format and pacing feel repetitive compared with sharper past history comedies, and the critic suggests the Obamas might be better off sticking to documentaries or children’s programming.
Tom Hanks teased MSNBC's MS NOW live on air at the Obama Presidential Center opening, quipping “What can I do for the 800 people watching MS NOW?” and telling the reporter to “add a zero” to the ratings; MS NOW’s numbers were cited as roughly 691,000 daytime viewers and 1.1 million primetime in Q1 2026. The ceremony drew former presidents and stars, and Hanks has previously donated coffee machines to the White House press corps.
Barack Obama weighed in on Donald Trump’s tentative Iran peace deal, saying the United States is worse off after the war and criticizing the memorandum of understanding as not clearly better than the 2015 JCPOA, while lawmakers from both parties voiced concerns about enforcement, sanctions relief, and the 60-day negotiation window.
Barack and Michelle Obama surprised students in Chicago during the opening of the Obama Presidential Center’s public library, greeting attendees and underscoring the center’s focus on education and community programs.
At the Chicago opening of the Obama Presidential Center, Barack and Michelle Obama delivered rousing speeches that praised past achievements and offered veiled critiques of Donald Trump and his administration, signaling a stance in favor of democratic ideals as attendees including Clinton, Bush, and Biden looked on and performers like Springsteen and Aguilera performed.
Barack and Michelle Obama welcomed the first visitors to the Barack Obama Presidential Center in Chicago on opening day, with the tower’s design symbolizing four hands joining in solidarity and featuring an excerpt from Obama’s 2015 Selma speech; the AP reports the center’s mission to house the Obama Foundation’s programs and preserve the former president’s legacy.
Larry David reveals that Barack Obama contributed a sharp one-liner for his HBO project Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness, including a gag where Obama refuses to let David sip his shake with the line 'Old lips.' The cameo is part of a seven-episode improv-focused limited series from Higher Ground, featuring guests like Bill Hader as Lincoln and Kathryn Hahn, and debuts June 26; David notes the moment was so funny they cut the line, marking his return to HBO since Curb Your Enthusiasm's 2024 finale.
AP News presents a photo gallery of the Obama Presidential Center’s opening day, featuring scenes from the ceremony and exhibits that spotlight Barack Obama’s legacy and the center’s role in education and public dialogue.
Barack Obama opened the Obama Presidential Center on Chicago’s lakefront with a star-studded ceremony, urging renewed faith in American democracy as exhibits highlight his career and community work; the $850 million center has faced cost overruns and legal challenges, and former President Trump was not invited.
Thousands gathered in Chicago for the dedication of the privately funded $850 million Obama Presidential Center on the South Side, a campus featuring art from 30 artists, a new Chicago Public Library branch, and cultural spaces; Barack and Michelle Obama were joined by fellow former presidents and VIPs including Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Angela Merkel and Justin Trudeau, as well as celebrities, highlighting the project as a major civic investment and cultural hub.
Trump defends his Iran deal as a wall against a nuclear weapon, suggesting it ends the war, reopens Hormuz shipping, and supports the oil market, but critics argue concessions may mirror Obama’s JCPOA and press for the text to be released for full congressional scrutiny amid concerns over sanctions relief and regional implications.