Entertainment
Barack Obama’s estranged brother attacks former president, drops further endorsement of Donald Trump
Former President Barack Obama’s older half-brother, Malik Obama, has launched a 2024 presidential campaign.
The Kenyan-born man, who holds dual citizenship in his family’s African homeland and within the United States, took to social media to precise support for Republican Party candidate and former President Donald Trump and criticized his famous brother — although he didn’t run within the election.
Malik began by posting an old photo of himself and his brother on the X platform on September 3 with the caption: “Fake A – When we were brothers.”
The tweet sparked a wave of support amongst Trump supporters, insistence Malik “Speak Your Truth” and homophobic slurs on the forty fourth president.
Fake ass after we were brothers photo:twitter.com/ViwRRl8El7
— Malik Obama (@ObamaMalik) September 3, 2024
The following day, Malik formalized his endorsement, reiterating his 2016 position, stating, “I am Malik Obama. I am a registered Republican and I am voting for President Donald Trump.”
The older brother’s hatred for his father’s namesake runs deep, and he sometimes throws tantrums just to point out people he cannot stand him.
Like the former social activist, Malik had political aspirations and in 2013 desired to run for mayor of Kogeli, the Kenyan town where their father was born.
I’m Malik Obama. I’m a registered Republican and I’m voting for President Donald Trump.
— Malik Obama (@ObamaMalik) September 4, 2024
According to to Forbes, his desire to run was “inspired” by his American brother, who had been elected to the best political office within the United States on the time. Malik said on the time that his brother “challenged him” to become involved in local politics.
“When I look at the success my brother has had in the United States, I feel that I would be letting my nation down if I did not follow in his footsteps and end its suffering through dedicated, honest and focused leadership,” Malik told Agence France Press.
Malik didn’t win his race.
But those feelings modified dramatically as his brother’s term ended. Three years later, Malik sided with the person who had spread a conspiracy theory about his brother’s birth, claiming that Barack, the primary man of African descent to turn out to be president, was not actually an American citizen but was born in Kenya and was hiding it to get into the White House.
In 2016, the New York Post interviewed Malik about his support for the then-reality star over his brother’s candidate, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. he said“I like Donald Trump because he speaks from the heart. Make America Great Again is a great slogan. I’d like to meet him.”
He also added that he was “deeply disappointed” with what his brother Barack’s administration had achieved in three years, which was the exact opposite of his earlier claims of being inspired by him.
He also said that Clinton and President Obama killed one of his closest friends, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Trump immediately learned of the endorsement and played it up on social media, inviting him to a debate with Clinton, a move that was meant to be a slap within the face for the Clinton-Obama duo.
Wow, President Obama’s brother Malik just announced he’ll vote for me. He was probably treated badly by the president like everyone else!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 24, 2016
Trump tweeted: “Wow, President Obama’s brother Malik just announced he’ll vote for me. He was probably treated badly by the President – like everyone else!”
While Trump supporters celebrated that Malik had stood by their leader, who later won the election, many in Kenya were outraged by what seemed to be a betrayal.
“SHAME on you Malik Obama, you support Trump but don’t blame Obama for your personal problems, grow up and be yourself,” one person wrote on Twitter on the time, in keeping with Standard Media.
Another added: “Malik Obama should reveal how much he was paid to disown his brother and campaign for Trump.”
A 3rd comment read: “That’s nothing to brag about, Malik. Too bad you’re not as smart as your brother, Barack.”
CNN International Correspondent Larry Madowo turned to Facebook, criticize Malik Obama, sharply criticizing his character, stated: “Even his famous name did not help him win the election in the country where he was born.”
He added: “I have experienced four Obamas up close: Auma, Barack, Malik and Mark. Malik and Mark (who until recently didn’t even use the last name Obama) have spent the last few years criticizing Barack, while Auma is the closest thing to the president,” before saying that Malik even asks for a fee to discuss his brother.
In April 2023, he took to social media again and, much like his last post, called his younger brother a “fake b—” and accused him of neglecting their father’s legacy.
The brother released his late father’s British travel document and suggested that Barack and his team had rejected his suggestion to maintain his father’s passport as an archival item in the brand new presidential library.
He wrote on Twitter: “I tried to get him to put this in his library but he said no.”
He later tweeted, “Make yourself a snake,” before encouraging people to purchase his autobiography, Big Bad Brother from Kenya.
After backlash from multiple individuals who saw the document and believed it belonged to his brother, fueling Trump’s long-running conspiracy theory about where Trump was born, he was forced to make clear and country for Reuters: “This is my father’s passport.”
That wasn’t the top of his political intrigue. A couple of months later, in August 2023, he began attacking his brother again, posting a throwback photo and writing, “Me and Fake a— a snake (President Barack Obama) when he was a nobody.”
Me and Fake Ass Snake (President Barack Obama) when he was a no person. photo: twitter.com/ZQC8UeJ3zJ
— Malik Obama (@ObamaMalik) August 13, 2023
He then made a press release that would make clear why he despised his blood brother a lot.
“I wanted to be (President Barack Obama’s) Fake—snake older brother, but he rejected me. He (President Barack Obama) is fake as a snake and a TRAITOR,” he said, later tweeting, “HE SOLD HIS SOUL TO THE DEVIL.”
HE SOLD HIS SOUL TO THE DEVIL
— Malik Obama (@ObamaMalik) August 14, 2023
Malik Obama’s support for Trump shouldn’t be surprising, though it’s unclear whether it’ll have an effect on the 2024 election.
In contrast, Barack Obama’s endorsement proved to be a watershed. When he spoke with Michelle Obama on the Democratic National Convention, Barack went viral for a joke about Trump’s obsession with crowd size.
Moreover, the involvement of former Obama campaign manager David Plouffe and other key figures from his 2008 and 2012 campaigns in the present political landscape indicates a continuation of the “Hope” message that resonated with voters during his presidency, According to to Reuters.