Former President Barack Obama said at a public lecture that elements within the U.S. military have acted as a bulwark against efforts to politicize key institutions, including the Justice Department. Speaking at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Arkansas as the inaugural speaker for the museum's "Building Bridges" lecture series, he warned of "pretty big breakdowns" in major institutions and said resistance within the military has helped prevent their full politicization.
"I would not expect the politicization of the Justice Department or our military," Obama said. "And I don’t think that’s happened. I think there’s been resistance, particularly in the military, to that. But the degree to which that has been encouraged, you know, that used to be something that I would lecture other countries not to do."
Obama emphasized that the armed forces' loyalty should be to the Constitution rather than to any political party or any president. He contrasted that principle with his own relationship with the military while in office, saying he gained their respect by avoiding political calculation in national security decisions.
Recalling his first days in office in 2009, when he expected skepticism because he had not served in the military, Obama said service members ultimately offered "their best unvarnished advice" and respected decisions they believed were driven by duty rather than politics.
Pushback and wider debate
The remarks prompted immediate pushback. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell criticized the former president, saying Obama "remained silent" about what Parnell described as the Biden administration's targeting of conservative service members. Parnell also accused prior administrations of introducing political elements into military culture through programs such as diversity and inclusion initiatives and other policies he described as distractions from core mission readiness.
Separately, Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) told reporters that some service members have privately acted as a check on what they perceive as unlawful orders. "They’re essentially saying, ‘We’re not going to betray our oath to the Constitution because this guy tells us to,'" Swalwell said, noting that service members' honor and integrity can serve as an informal safeguard.
Obama's comments came amid wider controversy after a video circulated showing six Democratic lawmakers urging service members to refuse "illegal" orders. That clip intensified debate over the proper role of the military, civilian oversight and how public officials should discuss obedience to lawful orders.
Observers say the exchange highlights ongoing tensions about civil-military norms, political influence in uniformed services, and how institutions should preserve nonpartisanship while holding leaders accountable.
