Chance the Rapper reveals if he’s heard from Obama since ‘Together’
Chance the Rapper tells USA TODAY’s Ralphie Aversa about the meaning behind his Obama Presidential Center reference in the song, “Together.”
Former President Barack Obama gave warned this week that Americans may have to “possibly sacrifice” if they want to stick up for democratic values, as he encouraged universities and law firms to resist intimidation from President Donald Trump’s administration.
Speaking at Hamilton College in New York on Thursday, Obama said he was “troubled by the idea that a White House” would suspend the security clearances or order federal agencies to cancel contracts to firms connected to political rivals.
“That kind of behavior is contrary to the basic compact we have as Americans. Imagine if I had done any of this,” Obama said during the sit-down conversation with Steven Tepper, the college’s president.
The former president went further when talking about Trump 2.0 targeting of colleges and universities, which have seen their federal grants threatened to combat what it calls antisemitism on campuses.
Reuters reported this week, for instance, the Trump administration is looking to block $510 million in grants for Brown University. It also has reportedly set conditions for Harvard University, where Obama attended law school, such as banning the use of masks and eliminating diversity, equity and inclusions programs.
“If you are a university, you may have to figure out, are we in fact doing things right? Have we in fact violated our own values, our own code, violated the law in some fashion,” Obama said.
“If not, and you’re just being intimidated, well, you should be able to say, that’s why we got this big endowment.”
The former president didn’t mention Trump by name during the discussion, but the remarks represent some of his sharpest and transparent criticisms of his successor since he was on the 2024 campaign trail.
At one point Obama alluded to the administration barring the Associated Press from official events in retaliation for refusing to adopt Trump’s renaming of the “Gulf of Mexico” to the “Gulf of America.”
“Imagine if I had pulled Fox News’ credentials from the White House press corps,” he said. “You’re laughing, but this is what’s happening.”
This story will be updated.