In rare public remarks, Barack Obama issued a warning on the state of American democracy but said he’s still “optimistic” about the future of the U.S.

Barack Obama spoke with Boston College professor Heather Cox Richardson at the The Bushnell Performing Arts Center in Hartford June 17.

Barack Obama cautioned that the U.S. is nearing the normalization of behaviors seen in autocratic regimes, drawing parallels to Hungary's political model. He emphasized the importance of facts and rebuked falsehoods about the 2020 election,