Barack Obama attacked Donald Trump for removing trusted media outlets from the White House press pool. He called the action dangerous and claimed it weakens democracy. Obama asked what the reaction would have been if he had pulled something similar when he was in office. His remarks were made during a speech at Hamilton College in New York where he focused on the importance of free press and open criticism.

“Imagine if I had pulled Fox News’ credentials from the White House press corps,” Obama said.

Obama said that removing access from news outlets crosses a line. However in 2009 his administration tried to cut Fox News out of an interview with the executive-pay czar. Other networks defended Fox and refused to take part unless it was included. At the time Obama’s communications director Anita Dunn said Fox acted more like a Republican outlet than a news network.

Though that incident passed quietly Obama’s recent comments sparked criticism for ignoring his own record. Trump has gone even further by taking full control of who gets access. His team removed Bloomberg Reuters and the AP from regular pool rotation and added new media groups in their place.

Axios recently replaced HuffPost in the daily rotation without warning. Trump has also targeted law firms linked to critics by trying to block their government access and threatening financial pressure. Some firms like Paul Weiss have folded and agreed to provide pro bono legal work for the administration. Others have faced federal scrutiny after taking on lawsuits against Trump.

The White House under Trump has also proposed taking over the press seating chart a task usually handled by the White House Correspondents Association. Critics say this is part of a larger strategy to control narratives and limit opposing voices. Supporters claim it’s a move toward balance and transparency.

Obama defended his approach in 2009 saying he never removed press credentials. But critics say both leaders have challenged press freedom when it suited them.