Obama says institutions failed to defend their values by conceding to Trump-era political pressure.
Former US President Barack Obama has criticised universities, law firms and corporations for compromising their principles under pressure from the Trump administration. Speaking on the final episode of WTF With Marc Maron, Obama said institutions should have stood firm rather than altering policies to retain federal funding or avoid political backlash.
“We all have this capacity, I think, to take a stand,” he said, arguing that universities should have resisted demands to curb academic independence. He added that organisations should reject pressure “to hire people or promote people based on some criteria that’s been cooked up by Steve Miller.”
Obama also condemned companies that rolled back diversity, equity and inclusion programmes. “We think it’s important… to hire people from different backgrounds,” he stated.
Acknowledging that integrity “comes at a price,” Obama noted that standing by convictions may be uncomfortable but necessary.