Barack Obama’s gross reaction to Nancy Pelosi’s Kamala Harris endorsement revealed

Barack Obama expressed frustration over Nancy Pelosi's quick endorsement of Kamala Harris, following Joe Biden's campaign suspension.

Published on: Oct 28, 2025, 19:52:09 IST

By Shweta Kukreti

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Former President Barack Obama expressed his displeasure at Rep. Nancy Pelosi's (D-Calif.) hasty endorsement of then-Vice President Kamala Harris over the phone, revealed a new book.

Barack Obama reportedly was quite concerned about Harris' potential to defeat Trump in the 2024 presidential election and her competency. (AP)

While endorsing Harris, Pelosi branded Harris “brilliantly astute” and showed “full confidence” that the former California senator could oust Donald Trump, less than twenty-four hours after Joe Biden suspended his 2024 reelection campaign, NY POST reported.

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Barack Obama's gross reaction revealed

In his new book “Retribution,” published Tuesday, ABC News' Jonathan Karl claimed that Obama, who preferred to let “a process” choose Trump's Democratic Party opponent, called Pelosi soon after her endorsement to express his annoyance because he believed they were in agreement.

Daily Mail obtained an excerpt from the book, which claims that Pelosi aide told Karl, “The Obamas were not happy.”

“This person summed up Obama’s message to Pelosi as, essentially, ‘What the f–k did you just do?’”

According to several reports, the 44th President preferred an open convention to choose the party's nominee instead of naming Harris following Biden's unexpected withdrawal.

Also Read: Video showing Trump being guided around room by Japan’s PM creates buzz amid health concerns, Did White House react?

Did Obama and Harris form a deal?

Obama reportedly was quite concerned about Harris' potential to defeat Trump in the 2024 presidential election and her competency.

Karl claims that during their talk, Pelosi said to Obama, “That train has left the station,” seemingly alluding to Biden's hasty endorsement of Harris following his announcement that he was ending his race.

Obama and Pelosi “agreed Harris should not simply be handed the nomination unchallenged,” according to Karl.

Prior to Biden's declaration of his retirement on July 21, 2024, the two had been in "regular communication," which is why Obama was taken aback by Pelosi's choice to support Harris.

Karl claims that a person close to Obama called the former president's exchange with Pelosi "good-natured ribbing" rather than hostile.

Will Harris run for president in 2028?

In her recent interview, Harris hinted to the BBC that she would run for president again. The former VP expressed confidence that a woman would make her way to the White House in the future and stated that she would "possibly" be president one day.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shweta Kukreti
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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