Former President Barack Obama (D-IL) said the president of the United States should not maintain multiple side businesses while in office.
These comments address the ethical boundaries of the presidency and the potential for conflicts of interest when a leader maintains private financial ventures. The discussion centers on whether the office requires a total separation from personal profit to ensure impartial governance.
Speaking during an interview on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" on Tuesday, Obama said he believes there is a need for clear ethical standards [1, 2]. He said the role of the presidency is incompatible with the pursuit of private business interests during a term [1, 3].
"A good policy that I'd like to see followed is that the president of the United States shouldn't have a bunch of side hustles that ..." Obama said [1].
Obama specifically referenced former President Donald Trump during the interview. He said it is "pretty obvious" that Trump should not be allowed to have side hustles or use the office to politicize the military [2].
Beyond financial interests, Obama addressed the separation of the executive branch from the judicial process. He said presidents should not be able to order the Attorney General to initiate prosecutions [3]. This point highlights a concern regarding the potential for the Department of Justice to be used as a political tool, a move he said undermines the rule of law.
Throughout the interview, Obama said these boundaries are necessary to prevent the presidency from being leveraged for personal or political gain [1, 2]. He said these restrictions are not partisan attacks, but are essential safeguards for the integrity of the U.S. government [3].
“"The president of the United States shouldn't have a bunch of side hustles."”
The focus on 'side hustles' and the independence of the Attorney General reflects a broader debate over the normalization of presidential conduct. By calling for a formalized policy against private business interests, Obama is advocating for a structural shift in how the U.S. executive branch manages potential conflicts of interest, moving away from voluntary divestment toward a stricter ethical mandate.
