Donald Trump Claims Barack Obama Is Still Controlling the White House in Unfounded Conspiracy Theory
Former President Donald Trump has reignited a conspiracy theory suggesting that former President Barack Obama is secretly still in control of the White House.
In a campaign stop in New Hampshire on Monday, October 9, Trump explicitly stated, "It's never been worse than it is now under crooked Joe Biden and, frankly, his boss, Barack Hussein Obama. I think it's his boss."
Although this isn't the first time Trump's shared this theory, it has recently gained traction in conservative circles after a 2020 video of Obama jokingly mentioning having a stand-in with an earpiece to "stay out of the spotlight" resurfaced.
There is no evidence to support the notion that Obama wields more influence over the current administration than simply offering suggestions or occasional help in meetings with President Biden.
Trump has been alluding to the idea of someone else being in charge in recent weeks, suggesting that Biden is "not capable of making decisions" and alluding to other decision-makers operating in the background.
The ex-prez implied that Biden was not truly the president during discussions about budget negotiations, stating, "I don't ever think he knows what's going on."
Trump seemed to answer his own question about who is really in charge at his campaign event in Wolfeboro when he hinted at Obama's involvement in potential world conflicts, saying, "Obama has plenty to do with it. I call him Biden's boss."
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The idea of Biden as a shadow leader has circulated online since before his inauguration, with a clip of Obama joking about having a stand-in on late-night television being used as evidence by some Trump supporters.
Conservative media outlets have also fueled this conspiracy theory by linking it to concerns about Biden's age and capabilities, which have been identified in public polling as concerns for voters.
Even before Trump's explicit endorsement of the conspiracy theory, many of his supporters had embraced the claim that Obama is still in control.
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One supporter waiting in line for a Trump rally in Iowa stated, "Somebody's got to be behind the scenes doing it. Obama is probably running the show."
Another supporter, a professional sanitation technician, believes that Obama signaled his intention to remain in power before the end of his second term.
Obama has made it clear in the past that he does not support the idea of being president for life. In a speech to the African Union in 2015, he stated, "Nobody should be president for life."
Quotes were sourced from NBC News.