Michelle Obama slammed for gloomy New Year’s message as Trump prepares to take office

Michelle Obama was heavily criticized for a New Year’s message shared with her followers just weeks before Donald Trump’s return to the Oval Office.

The former first lady took to Instagram on Friday afternoon with a minute-and-a-half video message wishing her followers happy holidays as 2024 officially comes to a close.

But the Internet wasn’t so enthusiastic about her words of encouragement for the American people.

The video, which racked up hundreds of comments within the first three hours of posting, showed the former first lady against a white background as she began addressing the lens.

‘Happy Holidays!’ she began cheerfully.

She then took a moment to speak about the year ahead – and how the nation might be feeling about the near future.

“I know it’s been a tough few months for many of us – and people are feeling a bit anxious and unsure,” she said.

“But even in these difficult times, there are plenty of reasons to remain hopeful.”

The former first lady then spoke about the hope she personally sees in the people she works with through the Obama Foundation.

“I wanted to share some reflections on the work the Obama Foundation is doing to uplift the young change makers around the world,” she captioned the video. “Look.”

The rest of the clips featured all different kinds of people — including her husband, former President Barack Obama — and some of the work they’ve done over the past 12 months.

This included the construction of the Obama Presidential Center which was built on the South Side of Chicago.

But many thought her “gloomy” online message was aimed at Trump’s landslide victory over Kamala Harris in last month’s presidential election.

And hundreds of viewers flooded the comments with their own thoughts on what awaits us in 2025.

“Twenty-four more days and we’re out of this nightmare you and your husband have created for the American people!” wrote one commenter.

Another agreed, adding: ‘What a joke. Hopefully Trump can fix the mess your husband has gotten this country into. The subway in your video, how ironic.’

‘For most of us it hasn’t been difficult! Most of us voted for Trump!” wrote another. ‘We’re good!’

Another comment read: “The only sad person is you and your butt buddy Obama.”

“I’m so happy that Donald Trump won and life will get back to normal,” one person wrote. “The homeless are needed and the people of New York City are on the streets and all you did was put the money in your pockets.”

“Thank God Donald Trump won, it won’t be children left unfed,” the same person added. “Boys will be boys, girls will be girls.”

“You show a building that you built, but what about the people who are starving and dying on the streets, what about our safety? What about our lives? What about everything? Why don’t you even worry about that?’ they continued.

“We are so happy that Donald Trump is in office because then we are all equal.”

Others quickly agreed with the long-written statement, noting that she should be happy that Trump is returning to the White House in January.

Some comments also wondered how she could be nervous about the next four years without taking a step back to see how the last four played out.

The Obama couple became increasingly involved in the 2024 race, campaigning for Kamala Harris in the final weeks leading up to November 5.

During a Harris campaign, three days before the election, the former first lady gave a speech in Pennsylvania, hyping the vice president and urging people to get out and vote while denouncing Donald Trump — all the while without uttering his name once.

She argued that in America we “rise more than we fall,” but warned against those who try to tell a different story about the country.

She noted that in dark and difficult times, the country needs someone who will “connect with people’s pain and tackle systemic problems at their roots, not leaders who stoke our fears and direct our anger at each other.”

“Once you open that can of gasoline, once you wink at hate and make it normal to call someone a bimbo, or low IQ, or human scum, look, you have no control over how fast or far that fire of hate will spread,” she warned. , referring to some of the names Trump and his allies have called Harris.

“Suddenly someone feels empowered to say that our fellow citizens in Puerto Rico come from an ‘island of trash,’” she continued, pointing to the ex-president’s rally in New York City, where a comedian made a racist joke about the area. .

She also called Trump a con artist, a small man who wanted to make himself feel big, and Kamala’s opponent, but she did not mention him by name.

But just days after the election, the Obamas finally broke their silence on Trump’s victory, congratulating the newly elected president while recognize that ‘this is obviously not the result we had hoped for.’

Barack and Michelle Obama’s joint statement noted that “America is not immune” to an electorate that responds accordingly to conditions in the country, ultimately leading to major victories for Republicans across the country and in national and statewide races .

“America has been through a lot in recent years,” the former first couple wrote.

“In a country as large and diverse as ours, we will not always agree on everything,” the statement admits. “But progress requires that we show good faith and mercy—even to people with whom we deeply disagree.”

The statement was shared with X shortly after Harris told her tearful fans in DC to keep fighting while she conceded.