Former President Barack Obama took the stage in Georgia to campaign for Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff, using the appearance to deliver a fresh round of criticism aimed at President Donald Trump.
Obama reserved some of his sharpest jokes for the White House response to his earlier remarks, including his comparison of Trump’s renovations to Saddam Hussein opening a Cheesecake Factory.
“The president wasn’t even angry about the Saddam Hussein comparison,” Obama said. “That part didn’t bother him—but he was very upset about the Cheesecake Factory part.”
Obama joked that the remark had prompted a full-scale response across the administration before describing how officials allegedly reacted.
“The White House even called the secretary of the Treasury. This is the person in charge of the economy, the one who’s supposed to figure out how to make your life more affordable, lower inflation and reduce interest rates,” Obama said.
“They told him he should hold a press conference in front of the Cheesecake Factory!”
Obama also took aim at members of Trump’s Cabinet, singling out Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
“The defense secretary is laser-focused on crucial matters like the jawlines and testosterone levels of our troops, and livestreaming executions because that’s how he thinks you build that manly warrior spirit,” Obama said.
He opened his broader critique by returning to Trump’s highly publicized White House construction and renovation projects.
“That guy is building a ballroom bigger than the White House. He’s paved over the Rose Garden, put a helicopter pad on the South Lawn, and there is gold everywhere. Take a picture—so much gold,” Obama said to loud laughter.
Former President Barack Obama campaigns in Georgia for Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff while taking aim at President Donald Trump
Supporters and rallygoers arrive at The Arena at Southlake in Morrow, Georgia, for the Democratic Party’s “United for Georgia” event
Obama’s visit was intended to bolster Sen. Jon Ossoff’s reelection campaign and support Democratic gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms
Obama paused for effect before assuring the crowd that he was not embellishing the details.
“I’m not making this up,” he said. “He—the president of the United States—is spending time super-gluing gold medallions to the mantel in the Oval Office.”
Often described as the Democratic Party’s “closer,” Obama headlined the Atlanta rally as Democrats mobilized supporters ahead of the Nov. 3 election.
The former president’s visit was designed to help Sen. Jon Ossoff, who is seeking reelection against Republican Rep. Mike Collins, as well as Democratic gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms, who is running against Republican Rick Jackson.
At a Saturday campaign event for Democrats in Ohio, Obama made a similar joke about Trump’s appetite for major building projects, saying the president “should be on HGTV.”
Taking another swipe at the administration’s design choices, Obama said, “He’s got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory.” He made the remark despite criticism surrounding the design of his own presidential library on Chicago’s South Side.
Trump responded Monday before leaving Joint Base Andrews for a campaign event in Mississippi. He argued that Obama had failed to properly maintain the executive residence, saying, “For you to say it’s a Cheesecake Factory, that just shows why you were a lousy president.”
Trump dismissed Obama’s assessment and suggested his predecessor lacked the intelligence to understand the renovations.
“He’s not smart at all because of the way he ran the country. Only a stupid person would run the country like that,” Trump said.
“We have to explain that to Obama because he doesn’t understand it because he’s not a smart guy,” Trump continued, arguing that Obama had ignored “dirt and filth” as well as walls that had not “been cleaned for years.”
At a Saturday event in Ohio, Obama joked that Trump should pursue his passion for construction projects on HGTV
President Donald Trump defended his White House renovations after Obama compared the updated residence to a chain restaurant
“Guys like Obama don’t see it… He doesn’t see broken ornaments on a building,” Trump said while defending the changes to the historic residence.
Standing by the work, Trump added, “I’ve taken care of the White House. I fixed it with the finest artisans in the world.” He also said the building is “a symbol of America” that must be properly maintained.
Obama’s rally came amid a series of high-profile political visits to Georgia.
Trump recently held campaign events in Dalton on Oct. 16 and Perry on Oct. 24.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris is also scheduled to visit the state later this week. She is expected to attend the Fulton County Democratic Party’s annual gala on Friday.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll completed Oct. 26 found Trump’s approval rating at 32 percent, while 66 percent of respondents said they disapproved of his performance.
Democrats held a 53 percent to 44 percent advantage over Republicans among likely voters on the generic congressional ballot after accounting for the preferences of those who were initially undecided.
The survey also found that a majority of respondents considered the cost of living a major concern.
