Obama criticizes Trump’s presidency ahead of US midterms

Key Takeaways

Barack Obama campaigned for Democratic candidates in Michigan, criticizing Trump’s policies and business dealings.
Obama accused Trump of corruption and deriding his strategy for Iran, calling the administration’s claims of victory against Iran unfounded.
The former president highlighted Trump’s focus on trivial matters, such as renovations and the appearance of military personnel.

US President Donald Trump has been urging voters to see the upcoming midterm elections as if he were on the ballot, but his Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama, took to the campaign trail to challenge him. Obama campaigned in Cleveland and Detroit, targeting US Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan.

Speaking at a rally, Obama framed the November 3 vote as a 'circuit breaker' to 'at least rein in some of the foolishness' of Trump’s presidency. He emphasized the need to 'bring some accountability to this government.'

Obama, who served as president from 2009 to 2017, accused Trump of 'never seeing a president excel in straight-up grifting, on your dime, like this.' He also criticized the administration’s claims of victory against Iran, arguing that the war has given Iran more economic leverage.

The former president went on to ridicule the administration’s focus on trivial matters, sarcastically calling Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth 'laser-focused on important matters like the jawline and testosterone levels of our troops.' He also mocked the White House renovations, stating, 'He’s got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory.'

Obama’s comments come amid a Reuters/Ipsos poll that found 63% of Americans believe the president and his family have inappropriately profited from cryptocurrency, and 69% believe his policy decisions are influenced by his private business dealings.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The comments from Obama are part of a broader strategy by Democrats to energize their base ahead of the midterms, where control of the US Senate is up for grabs.

The campaign trail comments reflect the ongoing political tension between the two parties, with Democrats using Obama’s popularity to bolster their candidates and challenge Trump’s legacy.

Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic candidate for US Senate, faces Republican Mike Rogers, a former US representative, in a tight race that could determine the outcome of the midterms.