Former President Barack Obama sat down with Stephen Colbert on the Late Show to fire shots at the current administration while avoiding naming him outright. The interview aired after the show’s CBS cancellation and attracted sharp responses from the White House.

Obama urged Democrats to ditch academic jargon and speak plainly to voters, citing Mayor Zohran Mamdani as a model of effective communication. He warned that the Justice Department must stay independent, arguing that a president should not wield the Attorney General as a political tool.

The former president also addressed speculative claims about extraterrestrials. When Colbert pushed the topic, Obama dismissed government secrecy, saying any evidence would leak quickly. He concluded that the U.S. government rarely keeps secrets, even about alien life.

The interview underscores the political divide and highlights the importance of clear messaging for Democrats. It also signals continued scrutiny of the Justice Department’s role in the current administration’s policy agenda.