Barack Obama breaks silence on Donald Trump and encourages protests against Muslim ban

Barack Obama has broken his silence for the first time since Donald Trump's inauguration - offering his encouragement to people protesting against Donald Trump. President Obama released a statement tonight, welcoming the protests, which he says are "exactly what we expect to see when American values are at stake."

And in an even more pointed dig at his successor, he explained the difference between his pause on granting visas to Iraqi citizens in 2011 and Donald Trump's Muslim ban. The statement says he "fundamentally disagrees with the notion of discriminating against individuals because of their faith or religion."

The statement comes as protests against Donald Trump's Muslim ban have stretched across the pond.

Large demonstrations have been reported across the UK - in cities as far afield as London, Brighton, Manchester, Leeds, Nottingham, Birmingham, Liverpool, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

President Obama is heartened by the level of engagement taking place in communities around the country. In his final official speech as President, he spoke about the important role of citizen and how all Americans have a responsibility to be guardians of our democracy - not just during an election, but every day.

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

With regard to comparisons to President Obama’s foreign policy decisions, as we’ve heard before, the President fundamentally disagrees with the notion of discriminating against individuals because of their faith or religion.