On the 22nd local time, President Trump stated that following the intelligence department’s revelation that the Obama administration had fabricated “Russian interference” materials against him,
the Department of Justice should directly target former President Obama.
Hahaha, I must say candidly, President Trump indeed has a clever way! This move encompasses all sorts of strategies: disguising oneself as a golden cicada to escape, using another person to kill, deceiving heaven and earth, substituting a weak link for a strong one, taking over someone else’s role, blossoming on a tree… Who says President Trump isn’t cultured? The三十六计 is his specialty!
The use of Obama’s “strategies” in solving the Epstein case was well-planned
Recently, Trump found himself deeply embroiled in the Epstein case. His loyalists were relentless in demanding the list, but the Department of Justice and FBI had already made it clear: there was no such list… The damage this situation could have caused to Trump was much greater than previously anticipated. Trump, the Department of Justice, and FBI wanted to resolve this matter, but the loyalists refused to agree. How could they break out of this predicament? Trump looked around and pulled out Obama…
Trump’s plan to use Obama to unravel his own situation was well-planned. On July 18th, the Director of National Intelligence Office announced that evidence disclosed by Director Gabard on that day showed that in 2016, then-President Obama and members of his national security cabinet attempted to undermine Trump’s election victory by fabricating intelligence after Trump won the presidency.
The statement said that the intelligence community had reached a consensus in the months leading up to the 2016 U.S. presidential election that Russia did not intend or possess the capability to interfere with the election. However, on December 9th, after the election, the White House convened senior members of the National Security Council to discuss the issue of Russia. Following the meeting, an email sent by Assistant Director Crapo (then Director of National Intelligence) requested new intelligence assessments from the intelligence community “in accordance with the President’s (i.e., Obama’s) request,” detailing how Russia “used tools and actions to influence the 2016 election.”
This initiative was spearheaded by the Office of the National Intelligence Director, with participation from the Central Intelligence Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Security Agency, and Department of Homeland Security.
On July 20th, Trump shared a video generated by artificial intelligence in which Obama was captured at the White House, while Trump watched with amusement.
By the 21st, Trump made it clear that he had been spreading false rumors about “the Russian hoax” personally crafted by former President Obama, along with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former President Biden, and many others. He labeled this as a “century-old crime” and a “solid proof,” posing a significant threat to the nation.
On the 22nd, he urged the Department of Justice to investigate Obama. It seems that the image of Obama being locked up in prison by AI has no longer satisfied him; he must be genuinely trying to “make something out of nothing!”
Trump’s feelings towards Obama: How much hate can one have for such a thing?
The enmity between Trump and Obama is indeed long and complex.
In his early days, as an entertainment producer, Trump was also involved in politics due to his media career. At that time, Obama was a political “rising star” who quickly ascended to the position of the White House. Naturally, Trump would occasionally bring him into the limelight, but it was more of a lighthearted teasing. Later, Trump began to strongly criticize Obama’s healthcare reform and tax policies, marking a difference in political views.
Due to these differences in political views, Trump began to question Obama’s “American” identity, essentially challenging his legitimacy as “President of the United States.” Trump even launched a massive campaign to question Obama’s credentials. Looking back now, this might be the first instance where Trump used populist sentiments to stir up trouble.
Later, Obama provided his detailed birth certificate, but the controversy did not cease. Because Trump never gave up.
In response to Trump’s antics, Obama made a public jab at him during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on April 30, 2011. This day may indeed leave its mark in future American history, potentially indicating that Trump’s determination to run for president was sparked at this time.
During the dinner, Obama first mocked: “This week has been quite eventful; you might have heard about Hawaiian State detailing my birth certificate. But perhaps no one is happier than Donald Trump, who finally gets to focus on more important issues, like whether we’ve actually landed on the moon or not?”
Furthermore, Obama also “praised” Trump for demonstrating the intelligence to become president and assured that it would bring some change to the White House, showcasing a photo of a “Trump White House Resort and Casino,” complete with bikini-clad women and gold-trimmed columns, as a satirical comment on Trump’s extravagant lifestyle.
Obama probably did not anticipate that his jibes could truly “inspire” Trump. From 2015 to 2016, Trump indeed entered the presidential election, with one of the key points of his campaign being a fierce critique of Obama, both in terms of policies and identity. In fact, until today, Trump still emphasizes Obama’s middle name—”Hussein.”
It must be said that Obama’s skin color and name respectively gave him two “foreign markers”: his skin color signifies African descent, and his name hints at Islam. These “markers” are taboo to mention openly in the United States, but for Trump’s supporters, they are extremely sensitive and cause discomfort. Now, targeting Obama serves to provoke this “uncomfortable feeling.”
Looking back now, when Obama was elected President as an “African-American,” many believed that the United States had entered a new era, where “everyone could become president”—a moment of the American Dream at its most beautiful and round. Indeed, since then, the United States has indeed gradually entered a new era, but contrary to expectations at the time: the American Dream has shattered.
Now, what does it mean to bring up Obama?
Trump, while certainly quick to take revenge and enjoy his grievances, the primary reason for pulling Obama out of the situation wasn’t personal enmity but rather his own political predicament.
The fundamental cause of this predicament isn’t the list itself but a pattern: anyone who starts off by stirring up populism will eventually be countered by populism.
Populism has long been around. As for what is populism and what is populistism, strictly speaking, it’s not easy to define them clearly. However, populism definitely has one characteristic: it opposes elites.
As early as two thousand years ago in the Greek city-state era, there were political phenomena of populism, with the prominent feature being the use of democratic mechanisms to suppress the nobility and elites, but ultimately often leading to the so-called “tyrant.” Looking at today’s America, it’s inevitable to feel that this is essentially the modern manifestation of the Greek city-state era’s populism-tyranny politics on a national level.
Thanks to American media (including entertainment media), Americans have long harbored doubts about “the nation.”
Trump’s hardcore supporters, also known as the MAGA faction—his base, which is even more strongly characterized by strong anti-elite, anti-establishment, and anti-“deep state” mental tendencies. To some extent, it can be said that Trump has awakened and strengthened this psychological tendency among certain Americans, and utilized it accordingly.
Trump is also feeding his supporters with dirt on the elite and “deep state,” aiming to fatten up their psychological characteristics. This mentality is one of his political foundations, and fattening up these characteristics is a way to consolidate his political status.
The list from the Epstein case is actually what he feeds to these people as “feed.” However, after Trump took over the White House, this feed became inappropriate due to various reasons, even becoming somewhat burdensome. The cold-hearted rehashing of old issues has finally made him lose interest. But those who are anti-elite, anti-establishment, and anti-“deep state” still eagerly await more feed. Can’t we just feed them a few elites—is there anyone better than Obama? Of course, throwing Hillary Clinton or Biden into the mix wouldn’t be a bad idea, would it?
Firstly, it can divert public attention away from the Epstein case list towards the investigation into the “Russiagate” incident. By portraying Trump as a victim of the elite and the “deep state,” the narrative can help alleviate the crisis that the Epstein case list might cause for the MAGA movement. By strengthening Trump’s image as a victim, it further solidifies his political position.
Secondly, this move also hits the Democrats hard. In fact, once the so-called “Russiagate” investigation starts, in the upcoming battle between the two parties focused on the midterm elections next year, the Republicans will have some advantages. Trump’s “tariff war” and the “big but beautiful” bill already give Democrats too many weapons to criticize him with. Trump needs to stock up on some “ammunition.”
Thirdly, there’s an interesting aspect to this move: because of the failure to mediate the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Trump turned to Putin and strongly pressured him. Launching the “Russiagate” investigation could further clear Trump’s ambiguous relationship with Putin.
If there were to emerge any future rumors about Trump “colluding with Russia” or being “manipulated by the Russians,” the investigation into the “Russiagate” incident could be said to have been well-prepared, suppressing these potential “rumors” in advance.
Can Obama’s attempts at feeding populism succeed?
It should be noted that Trump has thrown a stone and hit several birds—he is quite skilled.
However, can Obama’s efforts to feed populism and MAGA supporters fundamentally resolve Trump’s political dilemma?
Looking back at history, it’s not hard to see that populism-authoritarian politics are essentially unstable and often short-lived. Trump, through the mobilization of populism, has twice ascended to the White House, especially the second time, with a much stronger momentum than the first. In turn, his base, which includes MAGA supporters, has grown significantly in appetite. Their demands for anti-elitism, anti-establishment, and anti-“deep state” are now even more intense than before.
The problem is, Trump himself is an authentic “elite”—previously a business elite and media elite, he has now made a significant move into the political elite circle. His circle of associates is also filled with “elites.” —Without being elites themselves, how could they have entered the Oval Office or the White House?
More importantly, he follows an “elite route” and implements “elite policies,” essentially benefiting the capitalists and wealthy, while ordinary Americans, including those supporting Trump, as well as small business owners, actually do not gain much from Trump’s policies but might instead suffer the greatest losses.
So-called “making America great again,” “re-industrialization,” and “re-engineering” are merely cover stories for the big profits made by this group of wealthy individuals.
After their feast, the MAGA faction did not leave much of a mess for the MAGA party. In fact, after tallying up the accounts, it’s likely that the MAGA party will find that they have received less than before.
Trump’s betrayal of the MAGA party was not about not announcing the list, but rather his actual policies. From tariff wars to the “big and beautiful” bill, who benefited, who suffered, is actually quite clear. However, the MAGA party really is… too foolish.
Trump’s political future depends on his interactions with the MAGA party. He leveraged the existing social currents to stir up a populist tsunami, which carried him to the pinnacle of power. But how can he continue to steer this tsunami? If he cannot control it, Trump does not lack the possibility of being crushed.