Former US President Barack Obama was snapped outside 10 Downing Street on Monday 18 March. His visit to UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was dubbed a ‘surprise’ because it had not been announced to the public, and the internet has since gone a bit crazy with conspiracy theories surrounding the meeting of these two powerful men.
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Last week, President Joe Biden - who was Obama’s Vice President - and Donald Trump were both confirmed as candidates for the November election as they passed the nomination threshold. Now, Trump’s supporters have taken Obama’s visit for 10 Downing Street as further proof of an alleged plot to see Obama control the country from the shadows. Here’s everything you need to know.
Obama’s visit
Obama served as President from 2009 to 2017, and has faced his fair share of undesirable public interest in his private life - including a look into his sexuality. Now, he is no longer in office but he is still actively involved in the Obama Foundation, a charity whose goal ‘is to help people turn hope into action - to inspire, empower, and connect them to change their world’.
Indeed, according to a Downing Street spokesperson:
President Obama's team made contact and obviously the prime minister was very happy to meet with him and discuss the work of the Obama Foundation.
Some netizens saw the meeting as a positive thing; American X user @KrisRussell2 wrote:
Good! Some of our former Presidents need to get together and step up and take charge of things....because things are spiraling out of control and moving in the wrong direction. Things have gone from bad to worse.
However, others suspect there is something more afoot.
MAGA conspiracy theory
Trump’s supporters - dubbed MAGAs after his infamous slogan ‘Make America Great Again’ - have taken to X to share what they think could really be behind this visit.
One user, @TheThe1776, wrote:
Obama meeting officials in a Private meeting should tell everyone that this is Obama’s third term and Biden is his puppet/scapegoat.
@Oilman42usLaw commented, pointing out that Obama could have been looking for financial support for his NGO: ‘PM Sunak is the wealthiest MP in Parliament. Obama hit him up for a donation?’.
However, @GrahamAllen_1 agreed with @TheThe1776’s take on the matter, stating:
More proof we are in Obama’s 3rd Term!!! He just arrived at 10 Downing Street for a private meeting.
Political commentator Gunther Eagleman agreed, writing that Obama ‘no longer trusts Joe Biden... He is handling it himself.’
This comes in the mist of yet another rumour that suggests Obama’s wife Michelle Obama may run for President. The activist has never said that she planned to go for office, and her team recently denied this claim.
Read more:
⋙ Donald Trump: The Republican mistakes Obama for Biden for third time in past six months
⋙ Rishi Sunak's million dollar fortune comes from his wife: How rich is UK's Prime Minister?
⋙ Donald Trump: Here's how the former POTUS' appearance has changed over the years
Sources used:
Newsweek: Obama's Private Meeting Sparks MAGA Theory
