đ± Nobody expected this throwback to steal the spotlight… but Stephen Colbert has just brought back one of Barack Obamaâs most unforgettable style moments, and the internet can’t stop reacting. đâš What started as a playful reference quickly turned into a wave of nostalgia, with fans instantly recognizing the iconic look that once dominated headlines and sparked countless conversations. đđ„
The comedian asked the former president about Suitgate in May while getting a preview of the Chicago library.
Stephen Colbert at the Barack Obama Presidential Center in Chicago in June 2026.Credit:Â Kent NISHIMURA / AFP via Getty
Stephen Colbert is dressed to impress.
The former Late Show host and comedian attended the opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago with a fashionable nod to the libraryâs namesake: a tan suit.
Colbert rocked a light beige suit with a blue-and-brown striped tie for the occasion, calling back to when former president Barack Obama wore a tan suit to a press conference in August 2014, where he addressed combatting ISIS in Syria.
The day after Obama wore the suit and subsequently broke the internet, then-White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said, âThe president stands squarely behind his decision he made yesterday to wear his summer suit,â per The Hill.
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Obama called back to the eyebrow-raising moment in his presidency in May, appearing on a The Late Show With Stephen Colbert segment to give viewers a preview of the Chicago library.
âIs it safe to assume that some of these displays commemorate your greatest achievements as president?â Colbert asked Obama walking through the building. âIs there a wing dedicated to the greatest blunders? Is the tan suit here? Iâm asking if the tan suit is here,â Colbert added, egging him on.
âListen, I own that tan suit proudly, brother,â Obama quipped. âWhen you look back at the tan suit, what occurs to you?â Colbert pressed. The former president had a one-word answer: âFly.â
Joining Colbert at the event were Oprah Winfrey, Tom Hanks, Mark Hamill, and L.L. Cool J, along with former President Joe Biden, Jill Biden, former President George W. Bush, Laura Bush, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and former President Bill Clinton.
There were also performances by artists such as Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, and U2âs Bono and The Edge.
Following suit in fashion choices, Obama Foundation Chairman Martin Nesbitt and David Letterman sported tan ensembles for the occasion.
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âHow yâall like my tan suit?â Nesbitt asked the crowd during his opening remarks on Thursday, NBC Chicago reported.
âIt was inspired by a very good friend of mine who made tan suits famous. I donât know about the rest of you all, but I thought he looked pretty good wearing his, so I decided to wear one myself.â


