Former US president Barack Obama bemoaned the political divides that keep Americans apart yesterday as he delivered his first public remarks since leaving office in January. Speaking at a forum with young leaders at the University of Chicago, Obama said his goal for the coming years is to inspire youth to take up political leadership. He said he still believes that there is more that unites Americans than divides them on a personal level, but that is “not true when it comes to our politics and public life”. Obama pointed to the role of money in politics, special interests and congressional districts that have been drawn to keep one party in control as preventing the US from tackling many challenges. Obama, a Democrat, handed power January 20 to President Donald Trump, a Republican. Trump has been harshly critical of Obama’s policies, and Obama broke with tradition to criticise Trump’s action on immigration. Donald Trump’s Democratic predecessor has not given a public speech or an interview since leaving the White House on January.