TF
TruthOrFake
Fact Check: Obama says men need more gay role models. Also says it’s “not acceptable” for Black men to vote for Trump.

Fact Check: Obama says men need more gay role models. Also says it’s “not acceptable” for Black men to vote for Trump.

Published July 30, 2025
ByFactChecker 1.1 avatarFactChecker 1.1
±
VERDICT
Partially True

# Fact-Check: "Obama says men need more gay role models. Also says it’s 'not acceptable' for Black men to vote for Trump." ## What We Know Former Pr...

Advertisement
NordVPN - Explore the internet securely and privately

Secure your internet browsing withNordVPN's trusted protection

Fact-Check: "Obama says men need more gay role models. Also says it’s 'not acceptable' for Black men to vote for Trump."

What We Know

Former President Barack Obama made comments regarding the importance of diverse male role models in a podcast episode of "IMO" with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson, aired on July 16, 2025. During this episode, he emphasized that boys should not rely solely on one male figure, such as a father, for guidance. Instead, he advocated for exposure to a variety of male role models, including those who are gay or nonbinary, to foster empathy and community among young boys (Snopes, HuffPost).

Obama specifically recounted a personal experience with a gay professor who positively influenced him during college, stating, "You need that to show empathy and kindness" (EURweb). He did not explicitly state that all boys need gay mentors, but rather highlighted the benefits of having a diverse range of friends and role models (LGBTQ Nation).

Regarding the claim that Obama said it is "not acceptable" for Black men to vote for Trump, there is no direct evidence or source provided in the available data to substantiate this assertion. Therefore, this part of the claim remains unverified.

Analysis

The claim that Obama stated boys need gay role models is partially true. While he did advocate for the inclusion of gay and nonbinary individuals in the lives of boys to promote empathy and understanding, he did not explicitly say that boys "need" gay mentors. Instead, he framed his argument in a broader context of needing diverse role models to help boys navigate their emotions and identities (Snopes, HuffPost).

The sources discussing Obama's comments are generally credible, including well-known media outlets like HuffPost and Snopes, which are recognized for their fact-checking and journalistic integrity. However, the interpretation of his comments has been subject to misrepresentation, particularly among conservative commentators who have framed his remarks as promoting inappropriate relationships (Snopes). This highlights the potential for bias in how information is presented and interpreted in political discourse.

As for the claim about Black men voting for Trump, the absence of supporting evidence means it cannot be evaluated effectively. Without a direct quote or context from Obama, this part of the claim remains speculative.

Conclusion

The claim that Obama said boys need more gay role models is partially true. While he did emphasize the importance of having diverse male role models, including those who are gay or nonbinary, he did not explicitly state that all boys need gay mentors. The assertion regarding Black men voting for Trump lacks supporting evidence and cannot be verified. Therefore, the overall claim is only partially substantiated.

Sources

  1. Examining claim Obama said boys need gay mentors - Snopes.com
  2. Barack Obama Explains Why Every Man Needs LGBTQ+ Friends - HuffPost
  3. Obama: Men Need Gay, Nonbinary Friends - EURweb
  4. Barack Obama says young men need gay friends and role models - LGBTQ Nation
  5. Obama: Men Need Gay Friends and Role Models | The Frank
  6. Barack Obama says young men need queer friends and role models - Country Queer
  7. Barack Obama encourages men to have gay friends to be role models - MEAWW
Advertisement
NordVPN - Explore the internet securely and privately

Secure your internet browsing withNordVPN's trusted protection

Have a claim you want to verify? It's 100% Free!

Our AI-powered fact-checker analyzes claims against thousands of reliable sources and provides evidence-based verdicts in seconds. Completely free with no registration required.

💡 Try:
"Coffee helps you live longer"
✓100% Free
✓No Registration
✓Instant Results

Comments

Leave a comment

Loading comments...

More Fact Checks to Explore

Discover similar claims and stay informed with these related fact-checks

Fact Check: President Trump says that DNI Tulsi Gabbard has thousands more damaging files on the Trump-Russia 2016 conspiracy, allegedly from Obama, set to be released.
Partially True
🎯 Similar

Fact Check: President Trump says that DNI Tulsi Gabbard has thousands more damaging files on the Trump-Russia 2016 conspiracy, allegedly from Obama, set to be released.

Detailed fact-check analysis of: President Trump says that DNI Tulsi Gabbard has thousands more damaging files on the Trump-Russia 2016 conspiracy, allegedly from Obama, set to be released.

Jul 31, 2025
Read more →
Fact Check: Transcript 00:00 I cannot believe that Trump is cutting Medicaid. Actually, what I meant to say is that I can't believe he's not cutting more of it because medicaid is a money laundering scheme for your government. Congratulations all you bleeding heart democrats. Instead of raging against the machine, you're bending over for it. Medicaid is jointly run by the states and the feds and for every one dollar that your state allocates to the program, the Feds turn around and match that at a level of one 00 percent so one dollar up to nine dollars. And this money comes from taxpayers in other 00:34 states. Your money has a 900% return rate at someone else's expense. Why wouldn't you expand the program? Thanks Obama. That's exactly how we wound up with way too many Medicaid recipients in the first place. Like everything related to healthcare the providers are in bed with the government on this one too because the government can tax the providers. 1. Use that dollar to collect the up to nine dollars in federal funds and to reimburse the provider their original dollar. What? Robbing the taxpayer to pad the funding pool leading to increase reimbursements for 01:06 Medicaid for the providers. Yeah, if I'm a doctor or a health care facility, I'm saying sign me up to that. Yes, the medical industrial complex totally has your best interest in mind so go ahead and swallow up those vaccines like a good little comrade. Age me harder daddy. And speaking of comrades, do you know how many people in this country receive Medicaid that shouldn't? Before you start screaming, everyone should get free health care. Not the argument here. We do not have universal health care in the United States. It doesn't work and since we don't have it, that means someone is paying for it and guess what? There are lower-income families 01:37 who don't qualify for the benefits but they're taxpayers and they're being burdened by this. Back to the point which is that the system is insanely abused. I used to do child support referee work for years and you would v
Partially True
🎯 Similar

Fact Check: Transcript 00:00 I cannot believe that Trump is cutting Medicaid. Actually, what I meant to say is that I can't believe he's not cutting more of it because medicaid is a money laundering scheme for your government. Congratulations all you bleeding heart democrats. Instead of raging against the machine, you're bending over for it. Medicaid is jointly run by the states and the feds and for every one dollar that your state allocates to the program, the Feds turn around and match that at a level of one 00 percent so one dollar up to nine dollars. And this money comes from taxpayers in other 00:34 states. Your money has a 900% return rate at someone else's expense. Why wouldn't you expand the program? Thanks Obama. That's exactly how we wound up with way too many Medicaid recipients in the first place. Like everything related to healthcare the providers are in bed with the government on this one too because the government can tax the providers. 1. Use that dollar to collect the up to nine dollars in federal funds and to reimburse the provider their original dollar. What? Robbing the taxpayer to pad the funding pool leading to increase reimbursements for 01:06 Medicaid for the providers. Yeah, if I'm a doctor or a health care facility, I'm saying sign me up to that. Yes, the medical industrial complex totally has your best interest in mind so go ahead and swallow up those vaccines like a good little comrade. Age me harder daddy. And speaking of comrades, do you know how many people in this country receive Medicaid that shouldn't? Before you start screaming, everyone should get free health care. Not the argument here. We do not have universal health care in the United States. It doesn't work and since we don't have it, that means someone is paying for it and guess what? There are lower-income families 01:37 who don't qualify for the benefits but they're taxpayers and they're being burdened by this. Back to the point which is that the system is insanely abused. I used to do child support referee work for years and you would v

Detailed fact-check analysis of: Transcript 00:00 I cannot believe that Trump is cutting Medicaid. Actually, what I meant to say is that I can't believe he's not cutting more of it because medicaid is a money laundering scheme for your government. Congratulations all you bleeding heart democrats. Instead of raging against the machine, you're bending over for it. Medicaid is jointly run by the states and the feds and for every one dollar that your state allocates to the program, the Feds turn around and match that at a level of one 00 percent so one dollar up to nine dollars. And this money comes from taxpayers in other 00:34 states. Your money has a 900% return rate at someone else's expense. Why wouldn't you expand the program? Thanks Obama. That's exactly how we wound up with way too many Medicaid recipients in the first place. Like everything related to healthcare the providers are in bed with the government on this one too because the government can tax the providers. 1. Use that dollar to collect the up to nine dollars in federal funds and to reimburse the provider their original dollar. What? Robbing the taxpayer to pad the funding pool leading to increase reimbursements for 01:06 Medicaid for the providers. Yeah, if I'm a doctor or a health care facility, I'm saying sign me up to that. Yes, the medical industrial complex totally has your best interest in mind so go ahead and swallow up those vaccines like a good little comrade. Age me harder daddy. And speaking of comrades, do you know how many people in this country receive Medicaid that shouldn't? Before you start screaming, everyone should get free health care. Not the argument here. We do not have universal health care in the United States. It doesn't work and since we don't have it, that means someone is paying for it and guess what? There are lower-income families 01:37 who don't qualify for the benefits but they're taxpayers and they're being burdened by this. Back to the point which is that the system is insanely abused. I used to do child support referee work for years and you would v

Jul 27, 2025
Read more →
Fact Check: We have 50 years of data that tells us what corporations do with tax cuts. This has been one of the most studied things by universities around the world for the last 50 years. And in the last 50 years across 18 of the wealthiest nations in the world not one has corporate tax cuts equated to higher job growth. 00:35 Not once. Or we can just look at the Trump tax cuts passed in twenty 17. Donald Trump created 40, 000 less jobs a month than Barack Obama did. And oh by the way that's leaving out COVID. That's leaving out all the job losses from the pandemic. There is one thing that happens when you give corporations big tax breaks. This right here. 50 years of data. You see that red line on top? That's the rich getting richer. You see those two lines on the bottom? That's the bottom 905percent? No In 01:06 twenty 18 corporations spent over a trillion dollars on stock buybacks and created less jobs than they did in twenty fourteen, 15, 16, and seventeen. You see the rich can afford to pump all of this misinformation into your brain. And that's why you believe it. There's not a single case in history of tax cuts for the rich helping an economy in any way shape or form.
Partially True
🎯 Similar

Fact Check: We have 50 years of data that tells us what corporations do with tax cuts. This has been one of the most studied things by universities around the world for the last 50 years. And in the last 50 years across 18 of the wealthiest nations in the world not one has corporate tax cuts equated to higher job growth. 00:35 Not once. Or we can just look at the Trump tax cuts passed in twenty 17. Donald Trump created 40, 000 less jobs a month than Barack Obama did. And oh by the way that's leaving out COVID. That's leaving out all the job losses from the pandemic. There is one thing that happens when you give corporations big tax breaks. This right here. 50 years of data. You see that red line on top? That's the rich getting richer. You see those two lines on the bottom? That's the bottom 905percent? No In 01:06 twenty 18 corporations spent over a trillion dollars on stock buybacks and created less jobs than they did in twenty fourteen, 15, 16, and seventeen. You see the rich can afford to pump all of this misinformation into your brain. And that's why you believe it. There's not a single case in history of tax cuts for the rich helping an economy in any way shape or form.

Detailed fact-check analysis of: We have 50 years of data that tells us what corporations do with tax cuts. This has been one of the most studied things by universities around the world for the last 50 years. And in the last 50 years across 18 of the wealthiest nations in the world not one has corporate tax cuts equated to higher job growth. 00:35 Not once. Or we can just look at the Trump tax cuts passed in twenty 17. Donald Trump created 40, 000 less jobs a month than Barack Obama did. And oh by the way that's leaving out COVID. That's leaving out all the job losses from the pandemic. There is one thing that happens when you give corporations big tax breaks. This right here. 50 years of data. You see that red line on top? That's the rich getting richer. You see those two lines on the bottom? That's the bottom 905percent? No In 01:06 twenty 18 corporations spent over a trillion dollars on stock buybacks and created less jobs than they did in twenty fourteen, 15, 16, and seventeen. You see the rich can afford to pump all of this misinformation into your brain. And that's why you believe it. There's not a single case in history of tax cuts for the rich helping an economy in any way shape or form.

Jul 30, 2025
Read more →
Fact Check: Obama became president illegally because he was born in Kenya. The Bush family is involved in the New World Order (NWO). Hillary Clinton was passed over by the Vatican for the presidency because people care more about race than character. The Vatican is described as "Satan's earthly HQ" and supposedly orchestrates various political events. Trump was anti-Illuminati, fought a stolen election, and was targeted by a coup and various conspiracies. The COVID-19 mRNA vaccine is framed as part of a satanic/globalist plan (NWO). Jesus gave Trump two terms because of what the Vatican did on 9/11.
False

Fact Check: Obama became president illegally because he was born in Kenya. The Bush family is involved in the New World Order (NWO). Hillary Clinton was passed over by the Vatican for the presidency because people care more about race than character. The Vatican is described as "Satan's earthly HQ" and supposedly orchestrates various political events. Trump was anti-Illuminati, fought a stolen election, and was targeted by a coup and various conspiracies. The COVID-19 mRNA vaccine is framed as part of a satanic/globalist plan (NWO). Jesus gave Trump two terms because of what the Vatican did on 9/11.

Detailed fact-check analysis of: Obama became president illegally because he was born in Kenya. The Bush family is involved in the New World Order (NWO). Hillary Clinton was passed over by the Vatican for the presidency because people care more about race than character. The Vatican is described as "Satan's earthly HQ" and supposedly orchestrates various political events. Trump was anti-Illuminati, fought a stolen election, and was targeted by a coup and various conspiracies. The COVID-19 mRNA vaccine is framed as part of a satanic/globalist plan (NWO). Jesus gave Trump two terms because of what the Vatican did on 9/11.

Jul 28, 2025
Read more →
Fact Check: ICE just received $45 billion in funding for the next 4 years - more than the U.S. government spent on immigration detention during the Obama, Biden, and first Trump administrations Combined
True

Fact Check: ICE just received $45 billion in funding for the next 4 years - more than the U.S. government spent on immigration detention during the Obama, Biden, and first Trump administrations Combined

Detailed fact-check analysis of: ICE just received $45 billion in funding for the next 4 years - more than the U.S. government spent on immigration detention during the Obama, Biden, and first Trump administrations Combined

Jul 20, 2025
Read more →
Fact Check: Whoopi Goldberg defends Barack Hussein Obama after Trump EXPOSES his corruption.
Partially True

Fact Check: Whoopi Goldberg defends Barack Hussein Obama after Trump EXPOSES his corruption.

Detailed fact-check analysis of: Whoopi Goldberg defends Barack Hussein Obama after Trump EXPOSES his corruption.

Jul 31, 2025
Read more →
Explore All Fact Checks
Fact Check: Obama says men need more gay role models. Also says it’s “not acceptable” for Black men to vote for Trump. | TruthOrFake Blog