Michelle Obama describes Barack as ‘former president who reads and knows history’, in apparent swipe at Trump

‘Let’s just take a moment to pause and think about that’, said former first lady

Michelle and Barack Obama appeared to take aim at Donald Trump in a new podcast launched by the former first lady this week.

The couple were discussing America’s current political discontent amid protests and the coronavirus crisis when they appeared to deride the White House incumbent’s apparent inability to “read and know history”.

Ms Obama, who launched her podcast on Wednesday with an interview with her husband Barack, introduced the former US president as someone “who reads and knows history”

“As a former president who reads and knows history,” said Ms Obama, in an apparent swipe at Mr Trump. “As that person, you understand the arc of progress”.

She told listeners: “Let’s just take a moment to pause and think about that”.

“We are moving towards more inclusivity, more openness, more we-ness, it’s not an easy trajectory, it is bumpy and it is uncomfortable, and that’s how change happens.”

The Obamas, who did not mention the US president’s name, also discussed Black Lives Matter demonstrations which re-emerged after Minneapolis police killed George Floyd, an unarmed black man, in May.

Mr Obama, in an appeal to young Americans, lamented that some were channelling their idealism “outside of governmental structures and outside of politics.”

Citing both systemic racism and the coronavirus pandemic, he added that “the danger for this generation is that they become too deeply cynical in government. Not understanding that all government is us collectively making decisions together."

“The problem is ― again we’re getting a pretty good lesson in that right now ― there are just some things we can’t do by ourselves, or even groups of us can’t do by ourselves,” said Mr Obama.

He added: “Things have to get super, super bad before folks figure stuff out”.

“Well I hope we’re at that point,” responded Ms Obama.

Those comments follow Mr Obama reportedly admitted that his successor’s racist terminology on the coronavirus “shocks and p****s me off.”