Statement by Barack and Michelle Obama:

[Stargleamer]

The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.

— Barack Obama (@barackobama.bsky.social) 2026-01-25T17:39:42.989Z

I would replace “that appear to be” with “is”

[LearnedHand]

1. I really wish they wouldn't use the milquetoast "heartbreaking tragedy"

It makes it sound as if it’s a tragedy the shooters experienced too. Call it by what it is: State-sponsored murder.

[Keepthesoulalive]

4. If they can go nuts over a tan suit

They will really lose their shit if he call them murderers. He is using his platform for effective messaging that maybe opens some minds.

[MorbidButterflyTat]

16. "It makes it sound as if it's a tragedy the shooters experienced too."

No, it doesn't.

[rampartd]

21. it is a tragedy for all concerned

some may not realize it. some may repent.

[Cha]

27. Agree... I Sure As Hell didn't think that.

I thought the Heartfelt statement from the Obamas was For the Family, Friends, and those in America with Hearts and Souls ☮️🌺🌻🕯️🕊️💜

[QueerDuck]

23. He's smarter and wiser than people give him credit for...

... It's not his obligation to have it deliver verbal tantrums.

[Beringia]

24. That was my first thought, milquetoast

[leftstreet]

2. The "killing of" should be MURDER of n/t

[anti-repub]

8. Obama

Obama won a landslide victory in 2008. He also carried the senate and the house. His first act as president was to banish Howard Dean as DNC chair after the Democratic landslide and proceeded to attempt to get the repos to like him for the next eight years.

It is good to know the full story as to how we got to this dismal state of affairs.

[Boomerproud]

3. No matter how measured their words, expect a huge social, maybe even legal backlash.

nt

[chicoescuela]

9. Right? Just write what you really think but he was president and I'm just

a dipstick on the couch

[B.See]

36. ... and the advantage of being

dipsticks on a couch is that we have the luxury of calling Trump and his gestapo goons the lying murderous mfkrs they ARE.

[Farmer-Rick]

5. Pedo Trump will sue them even with the soft language

But you know who was NOT friends with Epstein? Obama.

But yeah this is kind of soft and delicate wording, despite how the pedo will react.

Core values under assault? Fu** that, our bodies, our friends, our family are under assault. I wish it was just our values.

But to the filthy-rich the terror, the worry of unexpected violence and attacks is non existent. They are protected behind concrete walls. While you and I could easily become their next victim. Not just our values.

[LittleGirl]

18. What Pedo forgets is that Presidents get immunity.

But trump thinks it only applies to him.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

6. Politicians generally are more interested in order than justice.

[flashman13]

7. Trump, Noem, Bovino, et al are all telling ICE, "don't worry, no matter what you do, we've got your back".

[LoisB]

10. I think this is a perfect statement from "No Drama Obama". It gets the point

across without invoking the "angry Black man". Just my humble opinion.

[electric_blue68]

32. Probably....

That trope is still too much around.

[Upthevibe]

11. Thank you to the Obamas!

IMHO, the Clinton's only rev up the cult.

It excites those to hate on them.

I don't blame the Clinton's to not comment and I actually don't think they should.....Just my opinion. I'm not looking for a fight.

The Obama's remind us there's good in the world and we once had an amazing first family.

[malaise]

12. Most excellent

Rec

[hamsterjill]

13. Please forgive me for my cynicism.

I truly appreciate the Obamas doing this. I do. I want to give them credit for speaking out.

But in all honesty, what in the hell good do words do any more? In my mind, we are far beyond words - any words. We need someone to mount a resistance movement. It can be peaceful, yet forceful. We need legal minds and geniuses. We need shrewd brains and people who can outsmart the smartest crooks. We need "outside of the box" thinkers who can ram the Republican's disregard for laws and duty right back into their fucking faces.

But we need SOMEONE to be the leader.

[Keepthesoulalive]

14. I'm open to suggestions

There is normally a central figure with competent advisors. I don’t see too many people willing to to take the head shot.

[hamsterjill]

17. I don't either unfortunately

I keep hoping…

[Ol Janx Spirit]

15. You can only imagine the difficult position the Obamas are in when choosing how to speak out on these kinds of...

...injustices.

It would not matter what they said or did--for some it would never be enough; for others way too much.

But Barack Obama has seen this from a position none of us have or possibly can: as the person in charge of the federal forces and agencies that carry out these things. For that we owe him some deference.

I appreciate their statement. It is forceful and well-reasoned, and it is an important message to hear from a former president and first lady.

Sure, it could be angrier; more pointed; worded to instigate rather than investigate--but that has never been the Obamas. And that is one of the reasons so many respect and love them.

[karynnj]

19. I think appear to be is better as it is unquestionably accurate

This was written by two people who were exceptional lawyers before they became the wonderful President and First Lady they were.

[Stargleamer]

20. I think it's just to cautious too say it that way

Last edited Sun Jan 25, 2026, 09:37 PM - Edit history (1)

as "is" is also quite accurate.

Here's another lawyer who calls it like it is:

"state-sanctioned murder", etc.

[ffr]

28. There's analysis like this from the best of us who look out for one another. But I cannot help but to conjure up

every time there is an atrocity, people like this, the unserious voters in the middle who helped make these deaths a reality.



I've lost hope in thinking disconnected unserious voters will do anything but continue to support the GOP and their Russian propagandist masters. That is, until they're affected directly, until it is them who are being targeted by the GOP. Until they wake up out of their zombie state of existence and start thinking of the suffering their actions are causing, the chaos in America will continue. With 3 more years and maybe not even then? A future looks bleak.

[slightlv]

29. What is wrong with this pic?

What in the world is going on with this woman's right hand? For one, it looks like she has two of them. It also looks like she has 6 fingers on it, and no thumb. I'm already so sick of AI, I'd like for it to be forced back into the shadows and illegal.

[electric_blue68]

33. Oh, zoomed in yeah 6 "fingers"

🙄 😑

[SocialDemocrat61]

22. Thank you President and Mrs. Obama

for speaking out.

[ffr]

25. Our core values have been vanquished. The assult has been going on for a year now.

There is no more 'increasingly.'

[LetMyPeopleVote]

26. Here is a pdf of this statement

This version may be easier to read

[electric_blue68]

34. TY Easier reading

[LetMyPeopleVote]

38. I am getting old and so this helps me

[JudyM]

30. The last paragraph is key, IMO. It directly applauds the protestors, rejecting the administration's characterization

of them.

The Obamas are leading us, quietly but unmistakably.

[Joinfortmill]

31. Remember folks, President Obama is always careful in his statements

He's a Black man in America and the first Black President. He's always been held to a standard many of us have never had to consider. One of the classiest dudes ever.

[electric_blue68]

35. Agreed...

While occasionally a bit too centrist imho... I understand the tightrope he walked (and Michelle in her own way).

But totally full of smarts, compassion, quiet wit, and elegence!

(I was thrilled to go both his Inaugurations!)

[thought crime]

37. This is a terrible moment for all Americans. "This has to stop."

President Obama and Mrs Obama are the leaders we look to for Moral Authority, when the current administration has none. They are the leaders we look to for compassion and decency, when the current administration has none.

[Martin68]

39. Thanks, Barack and Michelle. You are true patriots.

[KentuckyWoman]

40. I loves me some Obamas - BUT (the big but)

We are way past time for politicians lucky enough to have a microphone to make strong statements, and we've gotten well into the realm of really needing to show up on the ground. I might be wrong, but if John Lewis were still walking among us, he'd be out there on the streets of Minnesota after already being in DC, LA, Chicago and at the gates of Alligator Alcatraz.


Edit to add, and yes I've been told a few times my expectations are not reasonable.

[Icanthinkformyself]

41. Republicans

have been assaulting our core values for over a hundred years. And, they've come very close to finishing the job. Progressives and liberals forget that conservatives never stop, never yield, never give up, never retreat and never surrender. They will double, triple, quadruple down. They also, like the left, never seem to learn from history. They forget that fascism has never won the day and we forget that failure to apply the ultimate punishment to fascists when they lose is why they return every few decades. When they lose this time, and they will, many of them should go the way notsees went in 1946-47 and publicly. Barbarians only learn from being treated as a barbarian.