Former President Barack Obama Says Donald Trump Is Obsessed With Him. Here’s a Look at Trump’s Nearly Two-Decade-Long Pattern of Attacks
Former President Barack Obama recently said he occupies permanent space in Donald Trump’s head. He may have a point.
For nearly two decades, Trump has used his platform to target the nation’s first Black president, routinely allowing political criticism to become deeply personal and racially charged. Even years after Obama left office, the attacks have continued.
Most recently, Trump shared an AI-generated video showing Barack and Michelle Obama near a vandalized Air Force One.
Here is a timeline of the major instances in which Trump has displayed his fixation through racist imagery, false claims and personal attacks.
AI-Generated Video of Vandalized Air Force One
Trump sparked fresh controversy after posting an altered image targeting Barack and Michelle Obama that showed the couple standing near a vandalized Air Force One.
According to PBS, critics condemned the image as another example of Trump using inflammatory imagery to attack the former president, arguing that it tapped into racialized stereotypes and continued his long history of targeting the Obamas.
Trump’s “Birther” Campaign
Trump became the most prominent promoter of the false “birther” conspiracy theory, which claimed Obama was not born in the United States and was therefore an illegitimate president.
The claim persisted despite Obama releasing his Hawaii birth certificate, fueling questions about the first Black president’s identity, citizenship and belonging. Critics said the conspiracy echoed a long history of questioning whether Black Americans truly belonged in the country.
Accusing Obama of Wiretapping Trump Tower
Trump’s baseless claim that Obama ordered surveillance of Trump Tower became one of his most explosive attacks against his predecessor.
The allegation, made without evidence, fueled conspiracy theories, deepened political divisions and pushed false claims about Obama’s motives back into the national spotlight, according to the BBC.
Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my "wires tapped" in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2017
Officials rejected the accusation and warned that it damaged public trust in democratic institutions.
Criticizing Obama’s Vacations and Golf Habits
Trump repeatedly attacked Obama over his vacations and golf outings, criticizing the former president for spending time away from the White House.
Critics later accused Trump of hypocrisy after he frequently visited his own golf resorts while serving as president, often defending the trips as “working vacations,” according to PEOPLE.
The backlash highlighted a pattern of personal attacks against Obama that Trump did not appear to apply to himself.
President Obama has a major meeting on the N.Y.C. Ebola outbreak, with people flying in from all over the country, but decided to play golf!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 24, 2014
"Don't take vacations. What's the point? If you're not enjoying your work, you're in the wrong job." — Think Like A Billionaire
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 19, 2012
Trump Claimed He “Would Have Beaten” Obama in 2012
During a 2016 campaign appearance in South Carolina, Trump claimed Obama was fortunate that he had not entered the 2012 presidential race.
“You’re lucky I didn’t run last time, when [Mitt] Romney ran,” Trump said.
“Because you would have been a one-term president.”
AI-Generated Video of the Obamas as Apes
An AI-generated video posted to Trump’s social media account depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes sparked outrage over its explicitly racist imagery.
The controversy renewed scrutiny of Trump’s use of inflammatory rhetoric, exposed growing divisions within the Republican Party and intensified debate over whether such attacks could hurt GOP candidates heading into the midterm elections.
Attacking Obama on the 2016 Campaign Trail
Trump repeatedly attacked Obama’s intelligence and leadership during the 2016 presidential campaign, calling him “the most ignorant president in our history” and claiming he “didn’t know anything” when he entered office, according to POLITICO.
While Trump framed the comments as criticism of Obama’s policies and handling of global affairs, critics argued that the personal attacks reflected a broader effort to undermine the competence and legitimacy of the nation’s first Black president.
Calling Obama the “Founder of ISIS”
Trump falsely accused Obama of being the “founder of ISIS” during the 2016 campaign, claiming the former president was responsible for the terrorist group’s rise, according to CNN.
When asked whether he meant Obama’s policies created conditions that allowed ISIS to grow, Trump doubled down on the accusation.
Critics called the remarks a baseless attack that portrayed the first Black president as dangerous and disloyal.
AI-Generated Video of Obama in Jail
As previously reported, Trump came under fire after posting a video falsely portraying Obama being arrested and jailed by FBI agents while “Y.M.C.A.” by the Village People played in the background.
Trump has also accused Obama of committing “treason.”
Representatives for the former president denied the allegations and dismissed them as baseless.
Also Read: Trump Posts Another Racist Meme, Calls Obama’s Presidency a ‘Disaster’
Questioning Obama’s College Degrees
In 2011, Trump continued his attacks on Obama by demanding that the former president release his college records and questioning how he had been admitted to elite universities, according to CBS News.
Critics said the accusations echoed Trump’s earlier efforts to undermine Obama’s legitimacy. Trump offered no evidence to support his claims about Obama’s academic history.
Accusing Obama of Treason
At the beginning of his second term, Trump accused Obama of “treason” over the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Trump provided no evidence to support the accusation.
The claim marked one of his most extreme attacks against Obama, drawing backlash from Democrats, legal experts and Obama’s office, which called the allegations baseless and a political distraction.
Trump Calls Obama the “Worst” President
Trump and Obama traded sharp attacks during the 2016 campaign, with Obama calling Trump “unfit” for the presidency following Trump’s controversial comments about a Gold Star family and foreign policy.
Trump responded by labeling Obama one of the worst presidents in American history.
The exchange highlighted the bitter and increasingly personal rivalry between the two men.
Trump Claimed Obama Would Start a War With Iran
Trump also accused Obama of using the threat of war with Iran as a political strategy, claiming the president would launch military action to improve his chances of reelection.
The comments, made before the 2012 election, were part of Trump’s broader pattern of attacking Obama’s leadership and motives without evidence.
In order to get elected, @BarackObama will start a war with Iran.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2011
Obama ultimately left office without starting a war with Iran. In 2026, however, Trump continues overseeing a U.S. military campaign against Iran despite discussions surrounding a possible ceasefire.
