Former President Barack Obama has issued one of his strongest public warnings yet about the state of American democracy, expressing concern that the country is “dangerously close to sliding into autocracy” under Donald Trump’s leadership.

Speaking at a packed event in Hartford, Connecticut, Obama’s tone was somber and deliberate as he cautioned that the U.S. is showing “the same warning signs” seen in nations where democracy has quietly decayed behind the façade of free elections. “When citizens stop demanding accountability and leaders stop respecting limits, democracy doesn’t end overnight—it dies slowly, law by law, norm by norm,” Obama said.

He drew comparisons to Hungary under Viktor Orbán, a country that still holds elections but has hollowed out independent institutions, silenced dissent, and consolidated power under one ruling party. “That’s how it starts,” Obama warned. “Not with tanks in the streets, but with silence in the halls of power.”

Since leaving office in 2017, Obama has largely avoided daily political battles, choosing instead to focus on leadership training and civic engagement through his foundation. However, he has not remained silent when he believes fundamental democratic principles are at stake.