Former President Barack Obama said during a speech Tuesday that he was surprised by how much wealth he's amassed.
Obama, delivering this year's Nelson Mandela lecture in South Africa, spoke in favor of liberal causes such as universal health care, unions, progressive taxation, and retirement security. He further remarked on how much money he has.
"I should add by the way, right now, I'm actually surprised by how much money I got," Obama said. "And let me tell you something, I don't have half as much as most of these folks or a tenth or a hundredth."
Last year, Obama and his wife Michelle signed book deals worth more than $60 million. Additionally, Obama has made a substantial sum from previous books he wrote over the years, including from before he was president. The Obamas have also signed a deal with Netflix to produce content for the company; it is unknown how much the deal is worth.
Obama also receives a government pension of nearly $200,000 annually, and he has government-funded staff and protection.
"There's only so much you can eat, there's only so big a house you can have, there's only so many nice trips you can take," Obama said. "I mean, it's enough."
The Obamas purchased a house they previously rented in the very upscale Kalorama neighborhood in Washington, D.C. for $8.1 million while still owning a home in Chicago as well, according to media reports. The eight-bedroom, nine-and-a-half-bathroom home was also reported in April to be having an in-ground pool installed.