Former President Barack Obama reemerged Thursday night with a sharp rebuke of President Donald Trump’s policies, calling on Americans — especially young progressives — to be ready to “possibly sacrifice” in resisting what he sees as a dangerous unraveling of the post-World War II international order.

Speaking at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, Obama’s off-camera remarks drew applause from the liberal crowd but also raised eyebrows for their tone and urgency. While criticizing the current administration’s actions at home and abroad, he urged students, lawyers, and universities to take a more aggressive stance against Trump-era initiatives, warning that the status quo is under serious threat.

“It has been easy during most of our lifetimes to say you are a progressive, or say you are for social justice, or say you are for free speech, and not have to pay a price for it,” Obama told the audience. “And now we’re in one of those moments when…it’s not enough just to say you’re for something. You may actually have to do something and possibly sacrifice a little bit.”

Obama’s message was clear: the time for passive resistance is over. With Trump already reshaping the federal bureaucracy, gutting global agreements, and ramping up enforcement of domestic policy through executive power, the former president urged the left to prepare for what he framed as a generational struggle.

The remarks echo Obama’s increasingly vocal opposition to Trump’s second-term agenda, which includes sweeping tariffs, regulatory rollbacks, and the dismantling of many progressive-era policies. But what stood out Thursday night was his warning that even the “international order” — the post-WWII alliance system built around U.S. leadership — is now at risk.

“All of you have grown up in an international order that was created by America after World War II. … This is an important moment because in the last two months, the U.S. government has been trying to destroy that order,” Obama said.

He also criticized the administration’s recent push to sanction universities over their handling of student protests and diversity programs, suggesting it’s a chilling signal that constitutional rights are under assault.

“I’m deeply concerned with a federal government that threatens universities if they don’t give up students who are exercising their right to free speech,” he warned. “It’s unimaginable that the same parties that are silent now would have tolerated behavior like that from me or a whole bunch of my predecessors.”

He didn’t stop there. In a pointed comment aimed at the legal world, Obama said law firms need to do more to resist Trump’s agenda — and shouldn’t fear blowback. “If Trump tried to punish law firms for standing up, there’d be massive pushback. That’s why we can’t sit this one out.”

Obama’s comments reflect a growing panic among Democrat leaders over their party’s inability to unify post-2024. With Kamala Harris soundly defeated and President Trump enjoying a revived mandate, many on the left are turning to Obama as a moral and strategic compass.

But even his renewed activism hasn’t come without controversy. Recent reports suggest friction between Obama and Harris during the 2024 campaign cycle, with Obama allegedly working behind the scenes to prevent her nomination. That tension now lingers as Democrats remain fractured and leaderless, with no clear path forward heading into the 2026 midterms.

Obama’s call for activism and “sacrifice” appears designed to galvanize the Democratic base. But it may also deepen the ideological gulf in American politics, as conservatives point to such remarks as evidence the left is once again urging unrest instead of accepting election results.

Whether or not Obama’s appeal resonates beyond the liberal college circuit remains to be seen. But his speech makes one thing clear: the 44th president is not stepping back — and he’s preparing for what he sees as a battle for America’s soul.

While the event was closed to media and not recorded, multiple outlets, including The Washington Post and Fox News, reported on the content of his remarks through attendee accounts. Obama’s team has yet to issue an official transcript or follow-up statement.