Barack Obama’s warning about the global rise of authoritarianism underscores growing threats to democratic institutions, both abroad and in the United States. The widespread “No Kings” protests reflect a public demand to defend democratic values against perceived abuses of executive power. Trump’s harsh rhetoric and the GOP’s framing of dissenters as extremists have deepened political polarization while raising concerns about freedom of expression. Although Obama cannot return to office, his influence endures as a moral and political counterweight to rising authoritarian tendencies.
