Obama mocks Trump's White House decor at Cleveland midterm rally
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The gist
Former President Barack Obama said the White House looks like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory.
The quip came at his first midterm rally, boosting two Ohio Democrats.
Background
Barack Obama, the former US president, held his first campaign rally for this fall's midterm elections at Public Auditorium in Cleveland, Ohio. The event was aimed at boosting Democrats Amy Acton, the party's nominee for Ohio governor, and former Sen. Sherrod Brown, running for his old Senate seat. Ohio has grown more reliably Republican since Trump's rise but is an intense battleground this year, with polls showing both races as toss-ups and Democrats hoping to win the governorship for the first time in 20 years.
How it unfolded
- Oct 24, 2026At a near-capacity Public Auditorium in Cleveland, Obama said of Trump: "He's got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory."
- Oct 24, 2026Obama also mocked Trump's ballroom construction and gold accents, saying Trump "seems very focused on home renovations. He should be on HGTV," and asked "What's with all the gold?"
- Oct 24, 2026The crowd of more than 10,000 "erupted with amusement" at the quips, according to NBC News.
- Oct 24, 2026Obama criticized Republican Vivek Ramaswamy's attack ad featuring Acton's estranged mother calling her a "liar," and was later to appear in Detroit for Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Obama said "there is no line he will not cross" and called the election "our last best chance to at least rein in some of the foolishness of this administration."
- Party
- Acton said Ramaswamy "has chosen to exploit my childhood" over the ad featuring her estranged mother.
- Public
- Instagram account implausibleblog said Obama "took aim at all the gold Trump has added to the White House" and "made the whole thing sound ridiculous in one line."