Barack Obama jokes about his birth place: 'There are rumors I was born here'

On Monday Barack Obama arrived in Hawaii for an Obama Foundation event during which he cracked jokes about his birthplace.

During his speech, the former president took the time to kick off the private event held at the East-West Center in Honolulu on a light-hearted note.

The audience roared with laughter when Barack said:

“There are rumors that I was born about a mile from here. I have a birth certificate. I cannot vouch for the fact that I was born here because I was very small at the time. But people who were there say it’s true.”

The joke referred to the so-called ‘birther’ movement, which questioned Barack’s U.S. citizenship during his presidency.

In 2008, Obama released copies of a short form “certification of live birth” to curb rumors, and again in 2011 when he supplied a long form birth certificate to lay gossip to rest.

During the inaugural Obama Foundation Summit in Chicago in 2017 poked jokingly at one of the conspiracy theories that he was born in Kenya when he said:

"The reason I’m so excited to see you all here today in part is because this is where I started. Now, this isn’t where I was born. I was born in Kenya. That’s a joke.”

During the event in Honolulu, Barack Obama met with the young leaders from the Asia-Pacific region where he delivered a 21-minute speech, stating his opinion that the U.S. has “a deficit of leadership, and we need new blood.”

Later on, at the golf club, Obama made the proud parents of a newborn daughters’ week when he took the time to hold and fuss over the little one, planting a kiss on her tiny forehead.

The parents shared the video on Instagram where Barack smilingly told the couple:

"Congratulations. You can't beat daughters. Daughters are the best."

On Christmas Day, Barack embraced the spirit of the season when he surprised children at the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington DC with some Obama swagger and a huge bag filled with presents.

During the unplanned visit, Obama stepped in for Santa Claus and made the day special for the children. It comes as no surprise that the video, originally posted on the hospital’s Twitter account, went viral with over a million views within three hours.

Afterward, the hospital tweeted words of gratitude:

"Thank you @BarackObama for making our patients' day so much brighter. Your surprise warmed our hallways and put smiles on everyone's faces."

Consider following if you are on Instagram. Or read more on our Twitter account @amomama_usa or both!