Bush and Obama To Hold Conferences on ‘Disinformation’ Threat Right After Trump’s ‘Big’ Announcement

Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images (L)/Mark Makela/Getty Images (R)
Former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama are holding back-to-back democracy conferences in the days after Donald Trump makes what he’s teased will be a major announcement.
Trump advisor Jason Miller confirmed Trump’s “big” announcement will be the former president declaring his 2024 candidacy, an announcement some Republicans have been pushing for Trump to hold off on making. Miller at one point even said he advised Trump to wait until the Georgia runoff election between Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Republican Herschel Walker.
Axios reported on Saturday that organizers insist Bush and Obama did not coordinate the timing of their conferences, both of which will focus on “highlighting rising threats from authoritarianism and disinformation — and how to combat them globally and at home,” according to the outlet.
Bush’s conference will take place in Dallas on November 16, while Obama’s will be in New York on November 17. Bush will interview Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at his conference. The interview is part of the George W. Bush Institute’s The Struggle for Freedom series. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen will also be making an appearance through a taped talk.
Obama’s event will focus on the “the biggest challenges democratic institutions face today,” according to the Obama Foundation.
David J. Kramer, executive director of the Bush Institute, told Axios he thinks it’s “terrific” the two former presidents will be touching on similar topics in the same week, on the heels of the midterm elections.
Trump announced that he will be making a “very big announcement” on Tuesday, November 15, just before the Bush and Obama conferences.
“Two years ago we were a great nation and we will be a great nation again,” Trump said. “I’m going to be making a very big announcement on Tuesday, Nov. 15 at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach. Florida.”