Joe Biden officially became the new President on January 20th.
After the swearing in, ex-President Barack Obama shoots sharply against Donald Trump and the events at the Capitol in the ZDF interview.
It is well known that Barack Obama thought little of his successor Donald Trump in the US presidential chair.
In an interview about Obama's book "A Promised Land", the democrat on ZDF * distributes against Trump.
The ex-president also criticizes the security forces - they were not prepared for the storm of the Capitol.
Washington - It's been three weeks since
supporters: Donald Trump stormed the Capitol
.
On Sunday, the
former US President Barack Obama
commented
on the action in an
interview with moderator Claus Kleber in the ZDF “heute journal”
.
On January 6, a
mob of hundreds of Trump supporters
, spurred on by a large Donald Trump rally, stormed the Capitol in the US capital.
The violence escalated and several people were killed.
Some observers then took the view that white protesters in particular
had been treated
comparatively gently
by the police and emergency services
.
Barack Obama in an interview with ZDF: Criticism of the security forces in Washington
In
an interview
, the
Nobel Peace Prize laureate
criticized the
actions of the
security forces in Washington
.
“I am not surprised either, given the extent of the receptivity that was behind the fact that this riot could break out in the capital.
What surprised me was actually how
little the police and security forces were prepared for such events in the capital
.
And that has been noted again and again since it came about, ”said the 59-year-old.
In contrast, the authorities would have been much more concerned and better prepared with peaceful demonstrators such as the “Black Lives Matter” protest movement.
In the run-up, the Democrat had already spoken directly after the attack on the Capitol, where he spoke of a "moment of great dishonor" and a "shame for our nation".
He sees Donald Trump as responsible for instigating the violence, who is spreading lies about the result of a legitimate election for no reason.
Barack Obama in the ZDF interview: Trump "was not re-elected either"
But otherwise Barack Obama
doesn't
seem to
think much of Donald Trump's political legacy
.
ZDF presenter Claus Kleber throws in the conversation that Trump had succeeded in creating “a great, powerful movement”.
"And he managed to change the country's course very quickly," said Kleber.
A reason for Obama to strike out against Trump.
His influence is nowhere near as strong as some would hold him up: “Well, he
wasn't re-elected either
, I was re-elected.
Second, his approval ratings were never as high as mine at the lowest point.
Even when it was at its highest point.
No, we tend to overestimate certain things.
Perhaps the impact he had compared to what we've achieved in eight years. "
The
electoral success of
Donald Trump had his
Origin on the one hand in the
sometimes centuries-old social conflicts in the USA
, on the other hand also in the
financial crisis in 2008 and 2009
.
“Because it increased instability, fears, worries and such conflicts are more likely in society when people feel insecure.
If they're afraid it might backfire, they might be forced back. ”In addition, right-wing social media and television channels like Fox News have become more popular,
feeding
people
false information and conspiracy theories
.
That ultimately led to the escalation in the Capitol.
Barack Obama in an interview with ZDF: Joe Biden can build on the old course
Some
of Donald Trump's
election promises
did not come true, explains
Barack Obama
.
For example,
US President Joe Biden
, who is freshly in office, could
still build on the previous course of the Obama administration.
“20 million people still have their health insurance, even though he promised to throw it in the bin.
When I think about what we've been doing about clean energy, carbon emissions and so on.
That still goes down and
Biden can get back on it
, regardless of what he had to comment on. "
The former US president is certain of one thing, as he puts it:" At the end of the trip, we and my politicians will be that I represent have the better story to offer and
young people will find them more attractive than the backward-looking stories of Trump
. ”And that includes Joe Biden, the vice president of his administration at the time.
(jh with material from dpa) * Merkur.de is part of the Ippen-Digital-Netzwerk.