Auburn men’s basketball head coach Bruce Pearl has once again criticized former President Barack Obama, accusing him of deepening national divisions and contributing to the ongoing crisis in Gaza.
Pearl, who was named the 2025 AP Co-Coach of the Year, made headlines earlier this week after publicly responding to a social media post by Obama that highlighted the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. In the post, Obama urged action to prevent “innocent people dying of preventable starvation” and called for both the return of Israeli hostages and a halt to Israel’s military operations.
Pearl, who is Jewish and has consistently expressed strong views on U.S.-Israel policy, responded sharply, blaming the former president for funding entities like Iran and Hamas. “You gave billions to Iran and Hamas creating this mess,” Pearl wrote. “Not one word from you calling for THEM to release the hostages, surrender, and end the war.”
In a subsequent appearance on OutKick’s “Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich,” Pearl expanded on his criticism, claiming Obama’s rhetoric during and after his presidency has worsened racial and political tensions in the country.
“I get so frustrated when I hear what a terrible country we are or how racist we are,” said Pearl. “There is racism, and it’s wrong—but things have improved. I want my players to see obstacles, not roadblocks. That’s not what Obama taught them.”
Pearl argued that Obama’s narrative focused too heavily on systemic barriers, which he believes undermines a message of empowerment and ownership. “I don’t want my guys to work at Subway—I want them to own five of them,” he added.
This isn’t the first time Pearl has linked his coaching platform to political and social issues. During the NCAA March Madness tournament earlier this year, he brought attention to Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander after Auburn’s second-round win over Creighton.
While former President Obama has not responded to Pearl’s remarks, his original post emphasized the urgency of addressing the suffering of Gaza’s civilian population amid the ongoing war.
The exchange underscores ongoing divisions in American discourse surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and how public figures—athletic or political—continue to shape it.
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