Trump's Jealousy Of Obama Bubbles Up To The Surface Yet Again With Shoutout To Shady Doctor

Try as he might, President Donald Trump just can't seem to garner the same reverence his predecessor acquired so effortlessly from his constituents. It might slowly be driving him nuts too, because Trump keeps showing signs that his Barack Obama envy is alive and well during his second term. The divisive politician consistently brings up Obama's name in random conversations. From claiming that his predecessor wasn't worthy of winning the Nobel Peace Prize to making the questionable assertion that he's in much better health than Obama ever was while he was in office, Trump's jealousy of the former president keeps bubbling up to the surface, and it did so again during the March 17, 2026 Shamrock Bowl Presentation with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin.

Trump gave a shoutout to former White House physician Dr. Ronny Jackson, who was present during the St. Patrick's Day tradition, hailing him as a great doctor who declared him the healthiest president in history. The former "Apprentice" host simply couldn't resist bringing Obama, whom Jackson also served during his tenure, into the conversation. "I'll never forget, they said, 'Who's the healthiest president?' Because he covered Obama. He covered some others — I don't want to say who. And Trump. He said 'By far Trump. There's nobody even close,'" Trump jabbered (via X, formerly known as Twitter).

Trump: Whenever I have a problem, I call Doc Ronny and he works it out. pic.twitter.com/GKoq4tA7BP

— Acyn (@Acyn) March 17, 2026

The president's comments were questionable for several reasons. Firstly, Jackson has a contentious reputation for dispensing sleeping pills and alertness drugs without a proper prescription during his time as White House physician, earning him the nickname of "Candy Man." He also faced allegations of gross workplace misconduct. It's risky for Trump to compare his health to Obama's too, since his recent neck rash and the ever-present bruises on his hands hint that he's definitely not healthier than his predecessor.

The long history of Donald Trump being jealous of Barack Obama is well documented, and Obama's brutal roast of Trump during a 2024 rally speech certainly didn't help the divisive politician's envy. Something else that likely gets under his skin is the fact that the media has extensively covered the green tinge that threatens to overshadow the current president's orange complexion whenever Obama enters the chat. In March 2026, "The View's" Joy Behar made comments that probably put his teeth on edge, claiming on the hit talk show's "Behind the Table" podcast that the reason comedians never took jabs at Obama was because he wasn't as controversial as Trump. 

"When Obama came in, it was nice," Behar argued. "There was nothing to make fun of. [...] Things were going well for eight years." Given how hard Trump has tried to get comedians who make fun of him taken off the air, Behar's comments likely had him reaching for many cans of Diet Coke in quick succession. The controversial leader continues to try and put down his predecessor in attempts to cast himself in a better light. During a rally in Hebron, Kentucky, in March 2026, Obama even made an appearance in Trump's speech. Again. 

The president recounted how he used to walk down stairs, telling the assembled crowd, "The only thing I admired about Barack Hussein Obama, which was nothing actually. But the only thing is the way he bobbed down the stairs," (via X). He continued, "You talk about unpresidential [...] I couldn't believe that he made it without at least a noticeable major fall." This only served to remind folks of Trump's fall up the stairs on Air Force One in 2025.