Overview

• Released Oct. 13, the finale was recorded in Obama's Washington, D.C., office, with the former president opening by asking Maron about life after a defining project.
• Obama criticized institutions that have cut deals with the Trump administration, saying they should withstand pressure on hiring and diversity policies and uphold their missions.
• He argued universities can ride out potential grant losses to protect academic independence and said organizations have the capacity to 'take a stand.'
• Obama condemned Trump's National Guard deployment to Chicago as a deliberate end run around the Posse Comitatus Act, warning that civic guardrails have been weakened.
• Maron, who launched the podcast in 2009, said he and producer Brendan McDonald ended the series due to burnout and a sense of completion, as outlets noted a minor discrepancy over the final episode number.