US midterm elections: Obama attacks Trump as he campaigns for Democrats

Former United States President, Barack Obama, has criticised President Donald Trump over the Iran war, rising consumer prices and his administration’s record as he campaigned for Democratic candidates ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.

Obama, who addressed supporters in Ohio and Michigan on Saturday, urged voters to use the elections to challenge the Republican administration, arguing that the country’s economic difficulties and the war in Iran had raised concerns about Trump’s leadership.

“This election is our last best chance to at least rein in some of the foolishness of this administration,” Obama told crowds in Ohio on Saturday.

The former president’s campaign appearances came as Trump rallied supporters in Georgia, defending his administration’s immigration and tariff policies while maintaining that the country was experiencing an economic resurgence.

The November 3 elections will determine which party controls Congress for the remainder of Trump’s presidential term, potentially shaping how easily he can implement his legislative agenda. Early voting has begun, with Trump casting his ballot in Florida on Saturday alongside First Lady Melania Trump.

In Cleveland, Obama accused the Trump administration of failing to meet the expectations of Americans, pointing to what he described as its record of poor governance.

“After two years of chaos and cruelty and corruption and incompetence, the likes of which we have not seen in the modern era, you get a chance to say, ‘enough is enough,’” the former president said in Cleveland.

Obama acknowledged that economic concerns and inflation following the Covid pandemic contributed to Democrats’ defeat in the 2024 presidential election. However, he argued that Trump had failed to address the cost-of-living pressures that influenced voters.

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“If you thought everything was too expensive before ‘you know who’,” he said, referring to Trump without using his name, “everything is more expensive now”.

Trump, meanwhile, conceded that fuel prices remained elevated but expressed confidence that they would decline, despite mounting pressure over the cost of petrol.

The Republican president has faced criticism over rising fuel costs amid the wars in Iran and Ukraine, which have contributed to pressure on energy markets.

Trump acknowledged the situation, saying oil prices were “temporarily high” but maintained that “our country is getting stronger and stronger all the time, and those pump prices are going to come down”.

Addressing supporters in Perry, Georgia, Trump defended his economic policies, particularly tariffs, claiming they were generating substantial revenue for the United States.

He also repeated his promise to give every adult American $5,000 (£3,700) if Republicans secure control of both chambers of Congress.

Trump accused Democrats of threatening Americans’ financial security and border controls, telling the rally they would “loot your wealth” and “annihilate your borders”.

He also attacked Democratic immigration policies, referring to Libya, Yemen, Haiti and Somalia as “terror-infested” countries while criticising efforts to accept migrants from those nations.

Describing a previous meeting with several senators, he recalled: “I said, ‘Why do we always have to take people from shithouse countries? Why can’t we take people from, like, well… Norway, Sweden? Why not Denmark?’”

The conflict in Iran featured prominently in Obama’s criticism of the president, with the former Democratic leader arguing that the war had strengthened Tehran’s influence over a strategically important shipping route.

Obama told supporters that the conflict had given Iran “veto power” over the Strait of Hormuz, a key passage for global oil shipments.

Trump defended his handling of the war when questioned earlier on Saturday, insisting that the United States remained in a strong position.

“I’ve done it very effectively and I may have to finish it off, or maybe they’ll make a deal, but I’m not sure. Either way, we win.”

The president was also asked whether Melania Trump would visit Ukraine following a White House announcement that she had secured a ceasefire in a Russian-occupied city.

“We will see,” he said.

Obama also mocked Trump’s efforts to renovate the White House, using the president’s interior decoration choices as another point of criticism during his afternoon rally.

“What’s with all the gold? He’s got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened up a Cheesecake Factory,” Obama joked.

Obama’s appearance in Ohio was aimed at supporting former Senator Sherrod Brown, who is seeking to defeat incumbent Republican Senator John Husted, and Amy Acton, the Democratic candidate challenging Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in the state’s gubernatorial race.

During the rally, Obama criticised a campaign advertisement released by Ramaswamy the previous week that featured Acton’s estranged mother describing her as a liar.

The advertisement did not mention that the woman’s husband had been charged with raping Acton when she was a child.

Obama condemned the advert, accusing Ramaswamy’s campaign of using personal attacks to attract attention.

“In recent days, we’ve seen there is no line he will not cross. No low he will not sink to try to get in the limelight,” Obama said. “I mean, think about this latest ad he ran.”

Acton, who addressed supporters before Obama, also criticised her Republican opponent, accusing him of using her childhood experiences for political advantage.

She argued that Ramaswamy “has chosen to exploit my childhood” to “save his struggling campaign”.

(BBC News)