Barack Obama Warns of Donald Trump's 'Genuine Efforts to Weaken Democracy' as Former Prez Slams 'Hypocritical' Republicans Supporting National Guard Deployments to Democrat-run Cities

Former President Barack Obama has issued a chilling warning about what he described as "genuine efforts" from Donald Trump and his Republican allies to "weaken democracy," RadarOnline.com can reveal.

Obama, 64, candidly shared his thoughts on Trump administration policies during an appearance on the final episode of comedian Marc Maron's WTF podcast, during which he also discussed transitioning from life post-White House.

After Obama shared a conversation he had with his daughter Malia, in which he highlighted a growing sense of hopelessness among younger generations on issues like climate change, Maron noted, "there's a level of fear" sweeping across the country.

The former president agreed concerns were "justified" as he proceeded to call out Trump's immigration policies, specifically his directive for Immigration Enforcement and Customs (ICE) agents to round up individuals suspected of being in the country illegally, though in many cases agents have apprehended US citizens as well as individuals with valid work permits and/or are in the process of obtaining citizenship.

In addition to ICE raids, Trump recently deployed national guard troops to Chicago – and warned other Democrat-run cities they could be next.

Maron said many citizens, including those on the left, have "thrown around" terms like fascism "willy-nilly" and the country has reached a point where people need to "wake up" and realize authoritarianism is in full-swing.

Obama replied: "I think there is no doubt that a lot of the norms, civic habits, expectations, institutional guardrails that we had, that we took for granted for our democracy, have been weakened deliberately.

"I don't think they're destroyed, but i think they have been damaged. And they've been systematic about it."

The two-term president continued: "When I used to travel around the world, you know, this is back when democracy promotion was still bipartisan. George Bush was for it. Bill Clinton was for it. I was for it. Marco Rubio apparently was for it.

"So, it wasn't controversial for me to go to other countries and say, 'You know what? It's a good idea for militaries to be under civilian control.' Because when you have militaries that can direct force against their own people, that is inherently corrupting."

Obama then suggested the Trump policies were illegal.

Obama explained: "When you have what looks like a deliberate and run-around, not just a concept, but a law that's been around for a long time, Posse Comitatus, that says, you know, you don't use our military on domestic soil, unless there is an extraordinary emergency of some sort.

"When you see an administration suggest that ordinary street crime is an insurrection or a terrorist act – that is a genuine effort to weaken how we have understood democracy. And that was understood by Democrats and Republicans."

The ex-president then imagined the same scenario playing out if he were in office.

He laughed as he said: "I always try to, I mean, it's, it's almost too easy of a thought experiment.

"If I had sent in the National Guard into Texas and just said, 'You know what? A lot of problems in Dallas, you know, a lot of crime there. And I don't care what Governor Abbott says. I'm going to kind of take over law enforcement because I think things are out of control,' It is mind-boggling to me how Fox News would have responded."