The Political Scene | The New Yorker Barack Obama in the Trump Era
16 snips
May 11, 2026 
Peter Slevin, a reporter who covered Barack Obama’s post-presidency for The New Yorker, shares on-the-record reporting and interviews. He explores where Obama has been and why he is less visible. Short takes cover tensions at home over political involvement, limits Obama sees in his role, his shaken confidence since 2017, and the aims of the new Obama Presidential Center.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Obama Says His Post‑Presidency Is Substantive
- Barack Obama feels he's doing more as an ex-president than people realize, acting as a primary surrogate across multiple election cycles.
- Peter Slevin reports Obama believes public perception undercounts mentoring, redistricting work, and behind-the-scenes influence.
Family Limits How Much Obama Can Reengage
- Obama describes tension with Michelle Obama over his political visibility and admits family life constrains how active he can be.
- Slevin recounts Michelle sobbing after leaving the White House and wanting to step away from politics.
Obama Admits He Underestimated Trump
- Obama acknowledges he underestimated how far Trump would roll back norms and policy, which shook his confidence in American progress.
- Slevin contrasts Obama's 2017 hope that the center would hold with subsequent events that eroded that optimism.