Obama urges Americans to 'possibly sacrifice' in resisting Trump policies

Former President Barack Obama told a crowd Thursday night that some sacrifice might be necessary in order to resist President Donald Trump's policies.

Obama spoke at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, on Thursday and accused the Trump administration of trying to destroy the post-World War II international order, according to the Washington Post.

During the speech, Obama called Trump's behavior "contrary to the basic compact we have as Americans" and called on students to do more in order to resist Trump's policies.

"It has been easy during most of our lifetimes to say you are a progressive, or say you are for social justice, or say you are for free speech, and not have to pay a price for it…And now we’re in one of those moments when…it’s not enough just to say you’re for something. You may actually have to do something and possibly sacrifice a little bit," Obama said.

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Obama also said law firms and universities need to take a more active role in resisting Trump, arguing there would be massive pushback if he tried to sanction law firms.

"It’s unimaginable that the same parties that are silent now would have tolerated behavior like that from me or a whole bunch of my predecessors," Obama said.

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Former President Barack Obama speaks with President-elect Donald Trump in January 2025

Obama said he is "deeply concerned with a federal government that threatens universities if they don’t give up students who are exercising their right to free speech."

"All of you have grown up in an international order that was created by America after World War II. … This is an important moment because in the last two months, the U.S. government has been trying to destroy that order," Obama said. "Democracy is pretty recent in its vintage. An international order where you cooperate instead of fight is new. It's fragile."