Former US President Barack Obama appeared on the Stephen Colbert Show and subtly criticized current US President Donald Trump. Obama’s appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert took place on Tuesday, May 5, as Colbert prepares to step down from his role as host later this month.

During the show, Colbert mentioned the idea of him running for the presidency, to which Obama responded by suggesting that Colbert could potentially outperform certain past candidates. Since Obama’s second term ended in January 2017, the US has been led by Donald Trump from 2017 to 2021, followed by Joe Biden from 2021 to 2025, with Trump currently in his second term.

In a separate incident, Trump shared a controversial video on February 5 depicting Obama and his wife in a derogatory manner. Despite the backlash, Trump did not apologize for the post, attributing it to a staff error. Obama, prior to his Colbert interview, revealed that his marriage to Michelle experienced strain due to tensions related to Trump’s actions.

Obama expressed that Trump’s re-entry into the political sphere after his own presidency had caused additional stress on his marriage, with Michelle desiring more quality time together. This situation has led to genuine tension in their household, as Obama acknowledged the frustration it has caused his wife.