January 30, 2017

Obama Just Released His First Statement Since Leaving the White House to Support National Protests

He’s back.

Reuters/ZUMA

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In his first official statement since departing the White House, former President Barack Obama on Monday expressed support for the nationwide protests sparked by President Donald Trump’s executive order that temporarily bars refugees and immigrants from several Muslim-majority countries from entering the US.

While he did not specifically mention the president’s actions, Obama’s statement rejected the Trump administration’s recent defense of the executive order as being similar to Obama’s immigration policy in 2011.

“The president fundamentally disagrees with the notion of discriminating against individuals because of their faith or religion,” Obama’s spokesman Kevin Lewis wrote.

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PLEASE—BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things it doesn’t like—which is most things that are true.

We’ll say it loud and clear: At Mother Jones, no one gets to tell us what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please do your part and help us reach our $150,000 membership goal by May 31.

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