Former President Barack Obama is weighing in on what he describes as President Donald Trump‘s longstanding fixation on him, saying the current commander in chief appears more focused on his predecessor than the job at hand. During a new appearance on the “All the Smoke” podcast, Obama, who served as the nation’s 44th president from 2009 to 2017, was asked why Trump continues to reference him years after he left office.

Obama Says Trump’s ‘Obsession’ Raises Bigger Questions

During the conversation, Obama reflected on Trump’s repeated attacks over the years, suggesting the president’s continued focus on him is both unusual and revealing. “I obviously have a room in his head … a suite in his head,” Obama quipped, referring to it as an “obsession.”

Reflecting on his own time in the White House, Obama said he never had the luxury of dwelling on former presidents because governing required his full attention. “The last thing I had time to worry about was what somebody said, or what my predecessor did,” he explained. “They’re gone. I’ve got work to do.”

Obama Says The Presidency Leaves Little Time For Personal Feuds

Obama contrasted his own approach in office with what he views as Trump’s repeated focus on political rivals. He explained that the responsibilities of serving as president leave little room for personal grievances. When you’re president, you’ve got so many things you’re constantly thinking about because they’re real hard,” Obama said.

Calling Trump’s continued criticism “strange,” he added, “It shows me somebody who’s not focused on the American people and the job they’re supposed to do.”

Obama also shared one lesson he said he learned early in his presidency. “I learned pretty early that you have to screen out the noise in order for you to understand what’s in front of you and deal with it well.”

Trump Has Frequently Targeted Obama

Trump has continued to reference Obama throughout both of his presidential campaigns and his time back in office. Earlier this month, Trump shared an edited image on Truth Social depicting the Obama Presidential Center as a trash can.

Long before entering the White House himself, Trump also became one of the most prominent supporters of the false “birther” conspiracy theory, which incorrectly claimed Obama had not been born in the United States and was therefore ineligible to serve as president.

Obama has largely avoided responding to many of Trump’s personal attacks over the years, though his latest podcast appearance offered a rare glimpse into how he views the ongoing criticism.

Obama Reflects On Life After The White House

Obama’s comments come as he and former First Lady Michelle Obama prepare for the opening of the Obama Presidential Center, which is scheduled to welcome visitors on Juneteenth 2026.

Speaking to PEOPLE ahead of the center’s opening, Obama reflected on what he misses most about serving in the White House and what he was happy to leave behind. “Michelle wanted to make sure that it was the people’s house and, as first lady, helped open it up in ways that were unprecedented,” he said. “But it is also very confining.”

Comparing life inside the White House to life behind bars, Obama recalled advice he once received from former President Bill Clinton. “I think it was Bill Clinton who called it the crown jewel of the federal penitentiary system. Because for security reasons and all kinds of other reasons, you are confined,” he continued. “It is the bubble inside the bubble.”

Obama Says He Misses The Work, Not The Ceremony

Although Obama said he doesn’t miss many of the ceremonial aspects of the presidency, he admitted there are parts of the job he still thinks about. “And frankly, I don’t miss a lot of the pomp and circumstance,” he said. “I don’t miss having to wear a tie every day.”

Instead, he said it was the people who made the experience meaningful. “What I miss is the work and the people, who worked so hard, sacrificed so much but somehow kept their sense of humor. There was a sense of camaraderie.”

While the political sparring between Obama and Trump continues years after they shared the White House stage, Obama made clear that his focus remains on life after the presidency rather than revisiting old battles.