Obama weighed in on the police reform movement during an interview on Peter Hamby's Snapchat show Good Luck America that aired Wednesday morning. The president told the host that 'snappy' slogans like 'defund the police' could alienate people and potentially undermine the cause.
'You lost a big audience the minute you say it, which makes it a lot less likely that you're actually going to get the changes you want done,' he said.
'The key is deciding, do you want to actually get something done, or do you want to feel good among the people you already agree with?'
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The former president's comments drew backlash from progressive Democrats who support the movement including 'The Squad' members Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib as well as Rep-elect Cori Bush.
'With all due respect, Mr President—let's talk about losing people. We lost Michael Brown Jr. We lost Breonna Taylor. We're losing our loved ones to police violence. It's not a slogan. It's a mandate for keeping our people alive. Defund the police,' Bush tweeted on Tuesday.
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Omar also responded to the comments in a similar statement explaining the phrase was a policy demand rather than a slogan.
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'We lose people in the hands of police. It's not a slogan but a policy demand. And centering the demand for equitable investments and budgets for communities across the country gets us progress and safety,' she tweeted.
Obama had been referring to the expression adopted by BLM and police reform activists this summer following the death of George Floyd, who died under the knee of a white Minneapolis cop in May, as well as other black Americans including Breonna Taylor and Rayshard Brooks, who were killed by law enforcement.
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The phrase has drawn criticism from those who believe it intends to get rid of law enforcement and encourage lawlessness.
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Supporters however, argue that the movement isn't about eliminating police departments or stripping agencies of all of their money.
Activists elucidate that it is more about taking positive steps towards police reform in America by spending more on what communities across the US need, such as housing and education.
Fellow progressive Rep. Rashida Tlaib said it was hard to see the president 'attack the movement for Black lives that want us to prioritize health, funding of schools & ending poverty, rather than racist police systems.'
Obama had made the comments in one of two separate interviews he gave this week discussing the issue.
In a sit down with CNN analyst April Ryan, he also warned that the issue could stoke fears among the 'white population' that the 'African American community' will get out of control with police reform.
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