'No kings, no lords': Obama delivers thinly veiled critique of Trump at Presidential Center opening

Former President Barack Obama gave a pointed speech at the opening ceremony for his presidential center in Chicago on Thursday. He talked about the "shared values that make democracy possible," and in multiple instances, he seemingly took veiled swipes at the current administration and President Donald Trump without naming him. He noted that the Declaration of Independence ensured that there would be "no kings or lords" in this country, but citizens free to pursue their happiness with faith in an elected government. 

Talking about the upcoming 250th birthday of the U.S., Obama reminded a crowd of hundreds outside the newly constructed center that upon the founding of the country in 1776, "a different story took flight on this continent, a declaration that we are all created equal, endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights, and that in the newly independent United States, there will be no kings or lords, no serfs or subjects, but only citizens, each of us free to pursue our own version of happiness."

He went on to add that the "shared values that make democracy possible" include a belief in "checks and balances in our government, and an accountability that comes with an independent judiciary and a robust free press, a belief that "our military and law enforcement owe allegiance not to any president or political party, but to the people and our Constitution." The remarks come as the Trump administration has repeatedly been under fire for allegedly weaponizing the Department of Justice, its harsh immigration policy, and the Iran war.  

The former president emphasized that the values he outlined were not partisan, and that "every President here today, as different as we are, has tried our best to uphold" including his Republican opponents in the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections, John McCain and Mitt Romney, believed in them "no less than I did."  Former Presidents Joe Biden, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush were all present at the ceremony.

In another point in his speech, Obama acknowledged that it is tempting to "give in to cynicism and even despair, to stop trying," and urged Americans to fight it. In the end, he shared his optimism for the country, saying the story of America will not be one of evil or cynicism. "I remain convinced that the overwhelming majority of Americans feel the same way," he said. The remarks come after Obama slammed the institutions for falling for the idea that "everything is about money." "We've got a set of institutions that have fallen victim to the siren song of 'everything is about money, and everything is about attention, and everything is about fame, and everything is about getting over," he said in an event earlier this week, as per The Hill.