Rick Santorum has accused former President Barack Obama of worsening racial divisions, according to a Newsmax listing for its “National Report” program. The listing attributes the phrase “reignited racism” to the former Pennsylvania senator and says he rejected the description of Donald Trump as the country’s most divisive president.
The listing supports the central accusation in a circulating graphic, but the complete broadcast could not be directly reviewed. Its recording date, the question that prompted the remarks and the graphic’s full quotation have not been independently confirmed.
Santorum’s accusation is a political judgment. The material available for review does not establish that Obama caused an increase in racism or provide a defined historical test for ranking presidents by divisiveness.
Rick Santorum Has Made Similar Accusations Before
The argument has a documented history. On June 3, 2018, Santorum criticized Obama during a CNN “State of the Union” discussion about racial resentment and Trump’s election. The Washington Examiner reported the exchange that day.
A transcript published by Media Matters records Santorum arguing that Obama aggravated racial tensions through his responses to controversies involving people of color and police. He said Obama had opportunities to unite the country but repeatedly took positions against police.
Fellow panelist Karine Jean-Pierre challenged his explanation and argued that Trump had exploited racism. That disagreement provides context for the earlier exchange; it is not a response to the newly circulating remarks.
Rick Santorum returned to the argument during Newsmax’s August 20, 2024, coverage of the Democratic National Convention. A transcript published the following morning by Media Matters records him accusing Obama of renewing racism through his behavior and pursuing a divisive political strategy.
Those records establish that the criticism predates the current graphic. They do not independently authenticate every sentence printed on it or establish when the latest interview was recorded.
What Obama Said About Race and Policing
Obama’s own public statements offer additional context. In remarks preserved in the White House archive, he addressed the Trayvon Martin case on July 19, 2013, describing how experiences of discrimination shaped Black Americans’ reactions.
He also acknowledged the jury’s role and the legal process. Obama said the trial had been professionally conducted and explained that the verdict reflected how the justice system operates.
In the same address, he supported peaceful demonstrations while rejecting violence. He discussed possible law-enforcement training to reduce mistrust and urged consideration of practical steps beyond protests.
These remarks show Obama’s stated position in one prominent controversy. They should not be presented as a new rebuttal to Santorum, and they cannot alone settle the broader argument about his presidency.
Approval Gaps Offer a Different Measure
Presidential polarization can be examined through specific indicators. Gallup’s January 18, 2021, review of Trump’s first term found a larger average partisan approval gap than it had recorded for Obama.
Trump averaged 88% approval among Republicans and 7% among Democrats, a difference of 81 percentage points. Obama averaged 83% among Democrats and 13% among Republicans, producing a 70-point gap.
Those differences are calculated by subtracting the lower approval figure from the higher one. Gallup described Trump’s first-term gap as a record at the time, exceeding Obama’s by 11 points.
The comparison concerns party differences in job approval during those presidencies. It does not measure racism, identify the causes of racial tension or provide a ranking covering every president in American history.
What Remains Unverified
Senate records confirm that Rick Santorum represented Pennsylvania as a Republican from January 3, 1995, to January 3, 2007. His former office is established independently of the social-media graphic.
No direct response from Obama to this particular statement was located in the sources reviewed. The full recording and its original publication details remain necessary to establish the latest remarks’ exact wording, timing and immediate context.
