US Midterms: Obama Slams Trump Over Iran War, Rising Cost of Living
Former United States President Barack Obama has criticised President Donald Trump over the Iran war, rising consumer prices and his administration’s record while campaigning for Democratic candidates ahead of November’s midterm elections.
Obama addressed supporters in Ohio and Michigan on Saturday, urging voters to challenge the Republican administration at the polls, arguing that economic pressures and the conflict 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 supporters in Ohio.
The November 3 elections will determine which party controls Congress for the remainder of Trump’s presidential term, potentially influencing his ability to advance his legislative agenda.
Obama’s campaign appearances coincided with Trump’s rally in Georgia, where the Republican president defended his immigration and tariff policies while maintaining that the American economy was recovering.
Early voting has begun, with Trump casting his ballot in Florida on Saturday alongside First Lady Melania Trump as both parties intensified their campaigns.
Speaking in Cleveland, Obama accused the administration of failing to meet Americans’ expectations, describing its record as marked by chaos, corruption, cruelty and incompetence.
“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,’” Obama said.
The former president acknowledged that inflation and economic difficulties following the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the Democrats’ defeat in the 2024 presidential election. However, he argued that Trump had failed to ease the financial pressures facing American households.
“If you thought everything was too expensive before ‘you know who’,” Obama said, referring to Trump without naming him, “everything is more expensive now”.
Trump, meanwhile, acknowledged that fuel prices remained high but predicted they would eventually decline despite mounting public concerns about the cost of living.
The president has faced criticism over petrol prices amid the conflicts in Iran and Ukraine, which have contributed to pressure on international energy markets.
Describing oil prices as “temporarily high”, Trump insisted that America was becoming stronger and predicted motorists would eventually pay less at fuel stations.
“Our country is getting stronger and stronger all the time, and those pump prices are going to come down,” Trump told supporters.
Addressing supporters in Perry, Georgia, Trump defended his economic policies, particularly tariffs, which he claimed were generating substantial revenue for the United States.
He also repeated a promise to give every adult American $5,000 if Republicans secured control of both chambers of Congress, according to the supplied report.
Trump accused Democrats of threatening Americans’ financial security and border controls, telling supporters they would “loot your wealth” and “annihilate your borders”.
He also attacked Democratic immigration policies, describing Libya, Yemen, Haiti and Somalia as “terror-infested” countries while criticising efforts to accept migrants from those nations.
Recalling a previous meeting with senators, Trump questioned why the United States accepted migrants from certain countries instead of European nations such as Norway, Sweden and Denmark.
The Iran war featured prominently in Obama’s criticism, with the former president arguing that the conflict had strengthened Tehran’s influence over the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
The waterway is a vital passage for international oil shipments, and disruptions there can affect energy supplies and prices in global markets.
Obama argued that the conflict had effectively given Iran “veto power” over the strategic route, raising concerns about the war’s wider economic consequences.
Trump defended his handling of the conflict when questioned on Saturday, insisting that Washington remained in a strong position and suggesting negotiations could produce an agreement.
“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,” Trump said.
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,” Trump replied, offering no further details about a possible visit.
Obama also mocked Trump’s White House renovation, using the president’s preference for gold decorations as another target during his campaign appearance.
“What’s with all the gold? He’s got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened up a Cheesecake Factory,” Obama joked.
In Ohio, Obama campaigned for former Senator Sherrod Brown, who is seeking to unseat Republican Senator John Husted, and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton.
Acton is challenging Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in the state’s gubernatorial race, making Ohio an important battleground for Democrats ahead of the November elections.
Obama also criticised a campaign advertisement released by Ramaswamy’s team featuring Acton’s estranged mother describing her as a liar, according to the supplied report.
The advertisement reportedly 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,” he added.
Acton, who addressed supporters before Obama, also criticised her Republican opponent, accusing him of exploiting her childhood experiences for political advantage.
She said Ramaswamy “has chosen to exploit my childhood” to “save his struggling campaign”, escalating tensions in the contest ahead of November’s elections.
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