The New Yorker Radio Hour Barack Obama in the Trump Era
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May 8, 2026 
Barack Obama, 44th President, reflects on his post-presidential role and the new Obama Presidential Center. Peter Slevin, contributing writer who reported on Obama’s post-presidency, discusses why Obama stepped back, his mentoring work, and why he may no longer be the party’s figurehead. They probe shifts in optimism, comparisons with other ex-presidents, and tensions between public duty and family life.
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Public Cries For Obama Reflect Political Anxiety
- Public expectation that Obama should lead resistance shows a sense of crisis but overestimates one person's role.
- Peter Slevin reports people asked "Where is Obama?" soon after leaving office and kept asking as Trump rose, reflecting anxiety.
Michelle Obama's Emotional Exit From The White House
- Michelle Obama reacted strongly to leaving the White House, sobbing on the plane and craving distance from politics.
- Slevin recounts Michelle's 30-minute sob on January 20, 2017 and her reluctance toward political life.
Obama Says He's More Active Than People Realize
- Barack Obama feels he's already done more as an ex-president than most predecessors and resents being seen as absent.
- Slevin notes Obama cites being "the main surrogate for their party for four election cycles after they left office."