Overview

• On the final episode of Marc Maron’s WTF, released Monday and recorded in Obama’s Washington office, the former president presses universities, law firms and companies to “take a stand” rather than cut deals with the White House.
• He argues schools should protect academic independence even if federal grants are at risk and says businesses should not abandon diversity goals or accept hiring criteria he attributes to top aide Steve Miller.
• Obama denounces President Trump’s National Guard deployment to Chicago as a deliberate attempt to bypass long‑standing limits on using the military for domestic law enforcement.
• Framing current events as a “test,” he warns that choices carry consequences and cites a scenario of Hispanic men in Los Angeles being stopped because they “look Latino” as an example of what nonparticipation in voting can yield.
• He faults some Democrats’ “holier‑than‑thou” rhetoric, urging more respectful, persuasive communication and encouraging engagement on long‑form platforms such as the Joe Rogan podcast.