Obama Opens $850M Presidential Center Without Trump at Ceremony

The former president also made a pointed defense of democratic norms, saying the center was meant to carry forward "the shared values that make democracy possible," including "a belief in the peaceful transfer of power after the people have spoken in fair and free elections."

The absence of the Trumps was not explained by the Obama Foundation or the White House. The former president's remarks on the peaceful transfer of power landed as a subtle contrast to Trump's refusal to attend President Joe Biden's inauguration in 2021. Trump has also continued to question the legitimacy of the 2020 election results.

The center, located in Jackson Park on Chicago's South Side, includes a museum, a public library branch, athletic facilities and a forum for public programming. The foundation has said the campus will draw an estimated 750,000 visitors annually and generate $400 million in economic activity for the surrounding neighborhood each year.

Construction faced years of legal challenges from community groups who argued the city and the foundation did not conduct a full environmental review. A federal judge dismissed the last lawsuit in 2022, clearing the way for completion.

Obama's remarks Thursday focused on the center's mission to train the next generation of civic leaders. "This is not a monument to me," he said. "This is a launching pad for the work that still needs to be done."