Within 100 Days of Trump Administration, Three Former U.S. Presidents Break Tradition

Following Obama, Even Biden and Clinton Join In
The Tradition of Former Presidents Not Criticizing Their Successor Is Broken

Following the launch of Donald Trump's second administration, an unusual event occurred in the United States: three former presidents publicly criticized the sitting president.

On April 19 (local time), The Washington Post (WP) reported that the longstanding tradition in American politics?where former presidents do not openly criticize their successors?had been broken. Earlier that day, former President Bill Clinton attended a ceremony commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Oklahoma City Federal Building bombing. He criticized the current state of American society, saying, "It seems like everyone is fighting over whose anger matters more, whose anger is more justified," and added, "People act as if it's acceptable to distort the truth to gain even a little more personal benefit."

Although former President Clinton did not mention President Trump by name, he reportedly intensified his criticism by referring to a "crisis in the federal system of the United States."

From the left, former U.S. Presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama, and Bill Clinton.

Previously, on April 15, former President Joe Biden also spoke at an event for disability organizations, emphasizing that the Trump administration was destroying America's social security system. He stated, "This administration has caused tremendous damage and destruction in less than 100 days."

Additionally, on April 3, former President Barack Obama raised his voice, calling for resistance against the Trump administration's interference with and attacks on university autonomy. In effect, all three living Democratic former presidents?Joe Biden, Barack Obama, and Bill Clinton?publicly criticized President Trump within a span of two weeks, with the exception of former President George W. Bush. Although Bush, a Republican, has not spoken out publicly, he is also known to hold a critical view of President Trump. The White House has not issued any official response to these criticisms.

American historians described these events as highly unusual. They noted that it is rare for even one former president to openly criticize a successor, and that there is no precedent for three former presidents criticizing the sitting president almost simultaneously. Timothy Naftali, a professor at New York University, remarked, "It is noteworthy that this situation has arisen even before the Trump administration's first 100 days have passed," adding, "It seems former presidents already see the future shaped by the changes the Trump administration is making." He continued, "Former presidents are uniquely positioned to speak out and warn the public when the country is heading in a dangerous direction," and warned, "They serve as a kind of advisory council for the American people, and when the advisory council sounds the alarm, the public should listen."

Some analysts point out that deep-rooted animosity between the former presidents and President Trump underlies these criticisms. President Trump has attacked not only the former presidents but also their families. During the 2020 presidential election, he referred to former President Biden as a senile old man and mocked Biden's son, Hunter, as a drug addict. More recently, he even suspended Secret Service protection for former President Biden.

Furthermore, President Trump made a racially charged false claim about former President Obama, alleging that he was "not born in the United States." Regarding former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, wife of former President Clinton, Trump attacked her during the 2016 election, saying, "She should be in jail."

Meanwhile, protests against President Donald Trump's policies continued across the United States on this day as well. Two weeks after more than 500,000 people participated in the nationwide "Hands Off" protests condemning President Trump on April 5, another wave of large-scale anti-Trump demonstrations took place, with over 700 protests and events held. However, these protests were somewhat less organized than the "Hands Off" rallies, and in some regions, various protest methods were adopted, such as operating food banks and organizing community clean-up activities to strengthen local bonds.