Celebrities and politics collided when radio host Charlamagne tha God publicly criticized former President Barack Obama for what he deemed "kissing the ring" of President-elect Donald Trump during an interaction at the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter.

During an episode of his popular radio show "The Breakfast Club," Charlamagne reflected on the viral video showing Obama and Trump sharing a laugh, questioning how Obama could engage so amicably with someone he previously labeled a "threat to democracy." He stated, “After you went so hard calling somebody a threat to democracy and calling somebody a fascist and now you’re just chummy-chummy with the man? To me, that’s just terrible political optics.”

The context of their interaction is striking, considering the past rhetoric exchanged between the two leaders, highlighted by Trump’s promotion of the “birther” conspiracy during Obama’s presidency, which falsely suggested Obama was not born in the United States, and Obama’s labeling of Trump as "dangerous."

Curiously, Obama and Trump sat among five former presidents at Carter's funeral, where Trump remarked, “I didn’t realize how friendly it looked... Boy, they look like two people that like each other. And we probably do,” during an interview with Fox News post-event.

Despite the light-hearted moment captured in video, Charlamagne's co-hosts on "The Breakfast Club" contended that the conversation might have been innocuous, leaving open the possibility that they were discussing trivial matters. DJ Envy remarked, “You just never know what they’re saying,” suggesting a humorous spin on the narrative.

However, Charlamagne maintained that Obama’s friendship with Trump paints a troubling picture for the Democratic Party, emphasizing, “You got the last real leader of the Democratic Party... looking like, yeah, he’s kissing the ring.” The unfolding narrative invites public discourse on the implications of political optics in contemporary politics and the values of leadership.

For further details, check the original articles from The Hill.