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Malik Obama, former US President Barack Obama's half-brother, has endorsed Republican nominee Donald Trump in the upcoming presidential elections. On September 4, 2024, Malik took to X to make the announcement, writing:
"I am Malik Obama. I'm a registered Republican and I'm voting for President Donald Trump."
The tweet received over 10 million views and 133K likes at the time of this article. This came after Democratic VP pick Tim Walz's extended family announced they would vote for Trump in the 2024 elections.
Malik Obama was born to Barack Obama Sr. and his first wife, Kezia, in Kenya in 1958. Malik and Barack met in 1985 for the first time, and the two had a close relationship. However, their bond deteriorated as years passed, with Malik backing Trump since 2016.
Malik Obama wrote a memoir that detailed his relationship with Barack
While Malik Obama was born in Kenya, he obtained US citizenship and was an ardent proponent of Barack Obama when he ran for office. Malik was the best man at Barack and Michelle's wedding.
Malik's personal life has been rife with controversies. Rumors stated that Malik had 12 wives, but he refuted that claim and said he had only three wives. He came under fire in 2011 after he married a teen girl.
His relationship with his half-brother soured after Malik criticized Barack for not helping him when he set up a foundation in their father's name. In 2011, the Barack H. Obama Foundation ran into legal trouble after Malik failed to register it, claiming it was a tax-exempt organization.
"My brother didn't help me at all. He wanted me to shut it down when I set it up. He hasn't supported me at all," Malik told the New York Post at the time.
In 2013, Malik Obama ran for the post of governor in his father's hometown of Siaya in Kenya but managed to secure only 1% of votes. In a GQ profile that year, he claimed he and Barack had the same leadership qualities, saying, "It’s all in the genes.”
In a 2016 interview with The New York Post, Malik Obama said he was deeply disappointed by his brother's political decisions and endorsed Donald Trump. His decision also stemmed from the Democratic party's support of same-sex marriage, with Malik saying his views aligned more with the Republican party.
“I like Donald Trump because he speaks from the heart. Make America Great Again is a great slogan. I would like to meet him," Malik said.
In 2020, Malik Obama added to the dispute surrounding Barack's birth certificate. He shared a fake birth certificate from the Republic of Kenya dated before 1964 that alleged Barack was born outside the US.
In July 2020, he published a memoir titled Big Bad Brother from Kenya, detailing his relationship over the years with his half-brother. Malik holds dual citizenship in the US and Kenya and resides in Maryland, where he is registered to vote.
In other news, Michelle and Barack Obama publicly endorsed VP Kamala Harris, with both giving speeches at the Democratic National Convention on August 20, 2024. Harris and Trump will face each other in their first debate on September 10, hosted by ABC News.
