Barack Obama has urged Americans to reject language from any leader who "feeds a climate of fear and hatred” or normalises racism, Evening Standard reports.
In his first public statement since a pair of mass shootings in Texasand Ohio which killed 31 people, the former US president called on his compatriots to hold “public officials accountable for changing our gun laws”.
Mr Obama did not name Donald Trump directly, but heavily hinted at the president's controversial rhetoric regarding migrants.
Mr Obama said: "We should soundly reject language coming out of the mouths of any of our leaders that feeds a climate of fear and hatred or normalises racist sentiments; leaders who demonise those who don't look like us, or suggest that other people, including immigrants, threaten our way of life, or refer to other people as sub-human, or imply that America belongs to just one certain type of people.
"It has no place in our politics and our public life. And it's time for the overwhelming majority of Americans of goodwill, of every race and faith and political party, to say as much - clearly and unequivocally."
Mr Obama fought unsuccessfully to restrict gun ownership while in office, once describing his failure to pass "common sense gun safety laws" as the greatest frustration of his presidency.
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