Obama: 'Just because Donald Trump acts goofy doesn’t mean his presidency wouldn’t be dangerous'
Former President Obama criticized former President Trump's rhetoric during a campaign rally in Atlanta Thursday, saying Trump is "acting kind of funny."
“He acts so crazy, and it’s become so common that people no longer take it seriously,” Obama said during the event alongside Vice President Harris. “I’m here to explain to you just because he acts goofy, does not mean his presidency wouldn’t be dangerous.”
The former Democratic president questioned his successor's competence during the rally, invoking comments Trump reportedly made praising Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and the "loyalty" of his generals. The remarks were confirmed by former White House chief of staff and retired Gen. John Kelly, who also called his ex-boss a "fascist" in a recent interview with The Atlantic.
“In politics a good rule of thumb is: Don’t say you want to do anything like Hitler,” Obama said in his remarks. “But it is useful because it gives us a window into how Donald Trump thinks.”
He also took a swing at the GOP presidential nominee's ego and confidence while in Atlanta, citing the number of officials who have spoken up against Trump, including Kelly and former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. Mark Milley. More than a dozen former Trump officials also signed an open letter backing Kelly.
Obama pointed out that these are not Democratic figures or “woke liberals,” and yet, they are still going against Trump.
“They are people who have never, in the past, even talked about politics, because they believe that the military should be above politics,” he continued. “But the reason they’re speaking up is because they have seen that in Donald Trump’s mind the military does not exist to serve the Constitution or the American people.”
He suggested the former president would also fill his administration with people who are “just as looney as he is" if he's elected in November.
Obama, and former first lady Michelle Obama, have been joining Harris on the campaign trail lately, making appearances in key battleground states, including scheduled appearances in Arizona and Nevada. In Georgia, he was also joined by celebrities Bruce Springsteen, Spike Lee, Samuel L. Jackson and Tyler Perry. He is set to rally for the vice president Friday evening in North Carolina.
With just over a week until Election Day, The Hill/Decision Desk HQ's polling index shows Harris with a slight lead over Trump nationally — 48.7 percent to 47.7 percent.
The Hill has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment.