Former President Barack Obama has drawn attention — and criticism — after condemning former President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard to Chicago in response to rising violent crime, calling it “inherently corrupting” for any president to use the military “against their own people.”

Obama made the remarks during the final episode of comedian Marc Maron’s “WTF” podcast, released Monday. The discussion focused on the state of American democracy, polarization, and what Obama described as “the dangerous politicization” of national institutions under Trump’s leadership.

However, his comments quickly ignited debate online, with critics accusing the former president of hypocrisy — pointing to his own administration’s use of federal force during protests and unrest a decade earlier.

During the podcast, Obama said that he believes Trump’s approach to domestic law enforcement represents “a genuine threat to democracy,” arguing that deploying troops for local policing undermines long-standing constitutional boundaries.

“When you have a military that can direct force against their own people, that is inherently corrupting,” Obama said. “And when you start to see the politicization of the military — deliberately — that’s when democracy begins to erode.”

Maron interjected, noting, “They just landed in Chicago!” — referencing the arrival of National Guard troops ordered by Trump the previous week.