At the Connecticut Forum on June 17, former President Barack Obama warned that the U.S. is “dangerously close” to autocracy under Donald Trump’s leadership. He criticized the erosion of democratic norms, especially the weakening of checks and balances and the “weak commitment to what we understood as the foundations of a liberal democracy.”

Obama highlighted the need for pushback against anti-democratic actions—not just from the public, but also from leaders of both parties. “What we’re seeing… is not consistent with American democracy,” he said, drawing comparisons to authoritarian governments like Hungary under Viktor Orbán.

He explained autocracy as a system where one person holds power with little opposition from courts, media, or advisors, leaving citizens with almost no say in government decisions.

Despite his concerns, Obama struck a hopeful note, urging youth to fight injustice while staying united: “Change is a game of addition, not subtraction.” He praised grassroots protests like the recent “No Kings” rallies and called for stronger political leadership in protecting democracy.

Though his message was critical of Trump, some pointed out that Obama’s own administration deported more people per year than Trump’s.