Barack Obama hits out at Donald Trump, warning 'American values' are at stake

Barack Obama has re-entered the political fray just ten days after he handed power over to Mr Trump, stating that he supports mass protests against the "extreme vetting" orders.

"The President fundamentally disagrees with the notion of discriminating against individuals because of their faith or religion," Mr Obama's spokesman said in a statement that was the former president's first since leaving office.

"Citizens exercising their Constitutional rights to assemble, organise and have their voices heard by their elected officials is exactly what we expect to see when American values are at stake." 

It is rare for former presidents to criticise their successors - and certainly not just a week and a half after they are sworn in.

Protests continued across America and around the world - including in Britain.

In the US, at least three top national security officials - Defence Secretary Jim Mattis, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly and Rex Tillerson, who is awaiting confirmation to lead the State Department - have told associates they were not aware of details of the directive until around the time Mr Trump signed it. Leading intelligence officials were also left largely



in the dark, according to US officials.

Tennessee Senator Bob Corker, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations committee, said that despite White House assurances that congressional leaders were consulted, he learned about the order in the media.

A prescient piece of footage has emerged of Sally Yates' confirmation hearing, at which she was asked if she should fall in step with the president's wishes. 

"Do you think the attorney general has a responsibility to say no to the president if he asks for something improper...?" 

"I believe the attorney general or the deputy attorney general has an obligation to follow the law and the constitution and to give their independent legal advice to the president." 

Making the clip even more relevant is the fact the person asking the question was Senator Jeff Sessions , who starts off by saying: "You're going to have to watch out, because people will be asking you to do things that you just need to say no..."

Mr Sessions, Mr Trump’s nominee to be the next attorney general, is expected to be confirmed on Tuesday by the Senate Judiciary Committee and could be approved within days by the full Senate.