Former President Barack Obama’s hypocrisy surrounding the ongoing debate over nationwide voter ID laws just went to another level after reports surfaced that the former president is demanding people show ID just to get into a landmark bearing his name.
According to ABC7 Chicago, proof of Illinois residency is required to obtain free admission at the Obama Presidential Center ahead of its anticipated June 19 opening.
Per the ABC7 report, visitors who show proof of residency can obtain free admission on Tuesdays.
Meanwhile, admission is typically $30 for adults 12 and older and $23 for children ages three to eleven, while children ages two and under can visit the museum for free.
And Obama’s not backing down from the shocking turn.
According to Obama’s website, it clearly states that Illinois residents “must be able to provide proof of residency. Be prepared to show proof of residency at the Museum with a valid photo ID, Illinois driver’s license, state ID, or city-issued ID.”
This demand to show ID comes on top of his site also saying admission is $26 for adults who are Illinois residents, and $15 for children ages three to eleven who are Illinois residents.
Tickets to the Obama Presidential Center Museum tickets go on sale May 6. For access to a ticket pre-sale, become a member today: https://t.co/q5Htp7k7My pic.twitter.com/nMjFOYa6ww
— The Obama Foundation (@ObamaFoundation) April 6, 2026
However, Obama’s museum’s sudden demand to have visitors show proof of residency to obtain free admission has drawn backlash among conservatives over Democrats’ general opposition to voter ID laws.
“Bring three forms of ID, unless of course you are looking to vote while there,” one social media user wrote on X.
“What a joke. You require IDs for entry but don’t support requiring them to vote. Hypocrisy is alive and well. Who would want to see this monstrosity anyway?,” another social media user said.
This latest scandal comes on the heels of a disastrous buildup to the opening of Obama’s $850 million Chicago-based museum.
According to previous reports surrounding the build of his presidential library, the Obama Foundation sought to hire 75 to 100 unpaid volunteers known as “ambassadors” to help with museum operations, while its CEO and former top Obama aide Valerie Jarrett was paid $740,000 in 2024.
Although the museum is being privately funded, its surrounding infrastructure is estimated to cost approximately $350 million, with costs split between the city and the state, according to Fox News.
The Museum “presents the remarkable story of President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, America’s first Black president and First Lady. Dynamic exhibits across four floors explore the promise of democracy and the work of the Obama Presidency. Their challenges and accomplishments are rooted in the stories of the people, events, and policies that influenced them and continue to shape their legacy,” according to Obama’s website.
However, many Chicagoans have been outraged with the construction of Obama’s library for pushing up rents and displacing locals.
Critics have slammed the construction of Obama’s project, with residents saying it has been doing more harm than good for the community in recent years.
Alderwoman Jeanette Taylor, who represents much of the area where the center is being built, told the Daily Mail last August that she is a fan of Obama and believes in the project but has fought aspects of it to protect her constituents.
Her efforts have had mixed results.
“We’re going to see rents go higher and we’re going to see families displaced,” Taylor said.
A recently published financial report has revealed that Obama’s presidential library will now cost an eye-popping $850 million.
The project was initially estimated to cost $300 million, before the budget was revised to $500 million in 2017, and then again to $700 million in 2021.