Nicolai Haugsted
Barack Obama launches a blistering attack on Trump and accuses him of exploiting the presidency for personal gain.
The final stretch of America’s midterm election campaign is bringing some of the country’s most recognizable political figures back into the spotlight.
With control of Congress at stake on November 3, Republicans and Democrats are looking beyond individual candidates to the broader political questions facing voters.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly encouraged Americans to treat the election as a referendum on his administration, despite his name not appearing on the ballot.
Former President Barack Obama appears perfectly willing to accept that invitation.
During campaign appearances in Ohio and Michigan on Saturday, Obama delivered a series of pointed attacks on his successor, accusing him of profiting from public office, criticizing his handling of Iran and questioning the priorities of his administration.
He also found time to offer an unusually colorful assessment of Trump’s interior decorating.
And the president wasted little time responding.
Obama says America needs to flip the switch on Trump
Obama traveled to Cleveland and Detroit to support Democratic candidates ahead of the congressional elections.
His Michigan appearance was particularly significant because Democrat Abdul El-Sayed is competing against former Republican congressman Mike Rogers for an open Senate seat.
Addressing supporters in Detroit, Obama argued that the election offered an opportunity to place greater limits on the Trump administration.
He described the vote as a “circuit breaker” that could “at least rein in some of the foolishness” of Trump’s presidency.
“We got to flip that circuit breaker, bring some accountability to this government,” Obama told the crowd.
The metaphor reflected his argument that Congress should exercise stronger oversight of the executive branch.
Obama, who served as president from 2009 to 2017, remains a prominent figure within the Democratic Party.
His participation in the campaign comes as Democrats attempt to gain congressional seats and challenge Republican control of Washington.
Former president accuses Trump of profiting from office
Obama’s criticism extended beyond the administration’s political decisions.
He also questioned the relationship between Trump’s presidency and his family’s private business interests.
“We have never seen a president excel in straight-up grifting, on your dime, like this,” Obama said.
“Never seen a president so intent on selling favors like this … Now the party seems to stand for corrupt government, or inept government, or no government.”
The remarks amounted to a direct accusation that Trump has used his position for personal financial advantage.
Obama did not present new evidence supporting those allegations during the remarks quoted by Reuters.
However, questions surrounding the president’s business activities have attracted considerable public attention.
An August Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 63 percent of Americans believed Trump and his family had inappropriately profited from cryptocurrency activities since his return to the White House.
The same survey found that 69 percent believed his policy decisions were influenced by private business interests.
Those findings reflect respondents’ perceptions rather than legal determinations of wrongdoing.
The White House did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment on Obama’s remarks.
Iran becomes another target of Obama’s criticism
The former president also challenged Trump’s description of his administration’s military and diplomatic approach to Iran.
Obama argued that the conflict had strengthened Tehran’s ability to influence global energy markets, particularly through threats involving the Strait of Hormuz.
The narrow waterway is a critical route for international oil shipments.
Disruptions or threats to commercial shipping can affect energy prices and create uncertainty for exporters and importers.
“Iran now has veto power over the Strait of Hormuz, where oil goes through to get to the world,” Obama said.
His statement was a political characterization of Iran’s influence over shipping through the strait, rather than a claim that Tehran possesses a formal legal veto over international maritime traffic.
The criticism challenged the Trump administration’s presentation of its Iran strategy as a success.
Trump, however, offered a very different interpretation of the two administrations’ records.
Trump fires back with accusations of his own
The president responded on Truth Social early Sunday morning.
In his post, Trump described Obama as a “grossly incompetent President.”
He also attacked Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, calling him a “Muslim Brotherhood Jihadist, who hates Jews and Blacks and AMERICANS and TRUMP.”
The accusations against El-Sayed were not accompanied by supporting evidence in the post.
El-Sayed has denied allegations of affiliation with the Muslim Brotherhood.
Trump also criticized Obama’s approach to Iran, particularly the 2015 nuclear agreement negotiated during his presidency.
The president claimed Obama had “paid off Iran with $Billions, and gave them a road to a Nuclear Weapon.”
The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action was designed to restrict Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
Trump withdrew the United States from the agreement during his first term.
His latest comments continued a longstanding political disagreement over whether the accord restrained Iran’s nuclear ambitions or provided Tehran with economic benefits without sufficient safeguards.
Obama turns his attention to Pete Hegseth
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also found himself on the receiving end of Obama’s criticism.
The former president questioned whether the Pentagon was focusing on the country’s most pressing military concerns.
With a sarcastic reference to Hegseth’s emphasis on physical standards and military culture, Obama described the defense secretary as someone “laser-focused on important matters like the jawline and testosterone levels of our troops.”
The remark targeted what Obama portrayed as misplaced priorities within the administration.
Hegseth has made military readiness, physical fitness and personnel standards prominent themes during his leadership of the Defense Department.
Obama’s comments suggested that those issues were receiving disproportionate attention compared with broader national security challenges.
But the former president saved one of his most memorable jokes for the White House itself.
Trump’s White House makeover gets the comedy treatment
Trump has made substantial changes to the appearance of the White House, favoring elaborate gold-colored decorations and other highly visible design elements.
The renovations have attracted attention from both supporters and critics, with reactions often reflecting broader views of the president’s personal style.
Obama decided to offer his own architectural review during Saturday’s campaign appearance.
“He’s got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory,” he told the audience.
The joke combined a reference to the former Iraqi dictator with the American restaurant chain known for its elaborate interiors.
It was a strikingly informal remark from a former president, but one consistent with Obama’s willingness to use humor during campaign appearances.
His criticism was directed at the administration’s aesthetic choices and the attention Trump has devoted to redesigning the presidential residence.
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