Michelle Obama says US is 'janky' under Trump, warns Americans have 'taken things for granted'

WASHINGTON, DC: Former First Lady Michelle Obama is drawing attention for her blunt assessment of the current state of the United States, describing it as a “janky” phase.

Speaking on the 'IMO Podcast' in an episode that premiered on Wednesday, April 8, but has only now gone viral, Michelle Obama suggested the country is going through an unstable and imperfect period, even as she expressed hope that it could ultimately lead to growth and self-correction.

Michelle Obama says national change is part of growth cycle

Michelle Obama made the remarks during a conversation with comedian Hasan Minhaj, where the two discussed the current political and social climate in the US.

“You know, there are versions of the country that happen, right? And the new version doesn't make the old one bad. It's necessary for growth. And I think we're in just a janky version,” she said, before doubling down: “Yeah, janky’s right. Yeah. It’s a janky version right now.”

Obama went on to frame the current phase as part of a broader national cycle of learning and adjustment.

“But with each version, we learn something about ourselves as a country,” she said, adding that recent events have shown communities stepping up in meaningful ways.

“I’m kind of digging the way folks are beginning to respond. Minnesota, powerful stuff. It was a powerful reminder of what a community of people can do when you’re not so janky, you don’t have to prove that,” she said.

She also suggested that Americans may have grown complacent in recent years. “We haven’t been this janky for a while, our muscle of understanding our truth just got a little lax. We started taking things for granted.”

Despite the criticism, Obama struck an optimistic note, saying the country could emerge stronger: “You are becoming a better version through the stuff that you didn’t get.”

Michelle Obama's old criticism of Trump

This is not the first time Michelle Obama has taken aim at the current administration led by Donald Trump.

In a previous podcast episode featuring Conan O'Brien, she contrasted the standards her family faced in the White House with what she sees today.

“I mean, there’s absolutely no way that the behavior in this current administration would have been accepted by the first Black family in the White House,” she said.

Obama added that maintaining discipline and high standards during her time in the White House was not difficult.

“It wasn’t difficult to follow the rules. It wasn’t difficult to have high standards because we are those people,” she said.