They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, but considering the ideological gulf
between Barack Obama and his older brother, it almost seems as if they came from different
forests. As the subject of numerous negative headlines, it's fair to say that Malik Obama
has been a big pain in the butt for his younger brother.
When GQ visited Malik Obama in his native Kenya in 2013, he wasted no time declaring
that he considers himself to be much more than Barack's half-brother. He admitted that
they only spoke once a year, but as he put it,
"Everyone's referring to us as half, quarter...step, things like that...But this is a streak of
ignorance. Here in Africa we don't think of each other as 'half' this or that. In an extended
family, someone is your brother even if he is just in your clan. So I...am Obama."
Malik is indeed an Obama and, according to him, he and the former president actually
used to be extremely close. Malik worked in the United States off and on for 14 years,
during which time the siblings apparently had a much stronger bond. So strong, in fact,
that they were even best men at each other's weddings. As Malik revealed to GQ,
"Of course we're close! I'm the one who brought him here to Kogelo in 1988! I thought it was
important for him to come home and see from whence his family came, you know, his roots."
While in the U.S., Malik worked as an accountant for Lockheed, Fannie Mae, and the American
Red Cross before deciding to return to Kenya. His inspiration for doing so was his very
own brother. As he told GQ in 2013, he wanted to return to Kenya and run for office because,
as he put it,
"If my brother could be elected president of the United States, why can't I do something
for my people? Or for mankind?"
At the time, Malik was running for governor of Siaya, a little-known town in southwestern
Kenya. But despite his catchy slogan of "Obama Here, Obama There," he never stood a chance.
For one thing, he was on the ballot as an "independent person," not even a member of
the Independent party. What's more, he was considered an outsider, having returned home
only five years prior. As one local told GQ,
"You can't just come in here from somewhere else and say you should get something!"
When all was said and done, Malik received just under 3,000 votes, which amounted to
about 1%. In trying to explain his defeat, he turned on his famous brother, telling GQ,
"It's not a priority to talk to him anytime soon. The whole campaign, he didn't give me
a call."
"I send a message, and I say I'd like to see my brother, you know, and it depends on if
there's an opening or not."
If you hear the name "Barack H. Obama Foundation," you might assume that it is a charity affiliated
with former President Barack Obama. However, that's not the case, as it was started by
Malik Obama in 2008, and, as he has repeatedly made clear, it was actually named after their
father. But the fact that the name is so similar to Barack's own Obama Foundation has played
a major role in the brothers' rift. Apparently, when Malik approached his brother with the
idea, Barack was worried about the confusion it might create.
"He told me if I don't shut it down, he's going to cut me off."
In 2019, Malik told St. George News,
"I have no reservations in setting up a foundation in memory of my father. I know there may be
some confusion between this organization and the Obama organization in Chicago, but I would
like to remind everybody there is Obama, our father, and there is Obama the Second. I think
each and every one one of us must follow their dream and my dream is to carry on my father's
dreams, and that's why this organization was set up."
"Tell me about your relationship with your brother. How is it?"
"Well, it used to be good, but I think, since he's become the president, you know, he's
changed."
If you've never heard of the Barack H. Obama Foundation before now, you're not the only
one. According to its website, the charity's mission is:
"To provide people everywhere with resources to uplift their welfare and living standards."
It sounds like a worthy cause but, as the New York Post reported in 2011, there were
considerable questions surrounding the legitimacy of that statement. Not only was proof of the
foundation's accomplishments hard to find, but financial documents were unavailable,
which caused the National Legal and Policy Center to ask the IRS for an investigation.
Closer inspection revealed that the Barack H. Obama Foundation, which had been collecting
donations in both Kenya and Virginia, was never registered as a non-profit. Therefore,
it didn't hold tax-exempt status and the right to collect cash in the United States. The
situation only became shadier when the foundation hastily applied for tax-exempt status and
received its desired 501(c) organization status, as well as retroactive tax exemption, in just
one month. The Daily Caller dubbed this "an unprecedented timeline" and heavily implied
that the organization's application received preferential treatment.
Considering Malik and Barack Obama's tense history, it's no surprise that the brothers
disagree when it comes to politics. Malik is an avid Donald Trump supporter and, as
he once told The New York Post,
"I like Donald Trump because he speaks from the heart. Make America Great Again is a great
slogan. I would like to meet him."
He got his chance when the future president invited him to attend the final presidential
debate in 2016. While explaining his love of Trump to the Post, Malik criticized his
brother for orchestrating the death of Libyan leader Moammar Khadafy, whom he called one
of his best friends. Trump's conservative values also speak to Malik, as he admitted
to The Post,
"I feel like a Republican now because they don't stand for same-sex marriage, and that
appeals to me."
If you're hoping that Malik's feelings might've changed over the years, think again. In June
2019, he announced via Twitter that he'll be voting for Trump once more in 2020.
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