The long-simmering feud between Donald Trump and Barack Obama reignited on January 28, 2026, after Trump mocked Obama’s intelligence and academic record at a Florida rally. Claiming Obama “barely made it through school,” Trump revived an old line of attack that energized his crowd—but triggered an unexpected response.
Less than a day later, Obama appeared live on CNN and calmly presented certified transcripts from Columbia University and Harvard Law School. On camera, he highlighted a 3.7 GPA at Columbia, graduating magna cum laude from Harvard Law, and his historic election as president of the Harvard Law Review. With a dry smile, Obama remarked that he never needed to exaggerate his grades to feel confident.
The moment went viral instantly. CNN saw a surge in viewership, and social media erupted with memes, applause, and sharp jokes at Trump’s expense. Trump quickly dismissed the documents as fake and accused CNN of staging an ambush, but both universities confirmed their authenticity.
Analysts widely viewed the exchange as a miscalculation by Trump, handing Obama a rare, decisive win—and turning a personal jab into one of early 2026’s most talked-about political moments.
