Former President Barack Obama campaigned in Ohio and Michigan on Saturday, launching sharp attacks against the Trump administration’s trade policies, foreign interventions, and domestic conduct just ten days before the November 3 midterm elections.
Stepping into high-stakes Rust Belt contests, Obama delivered pointed speeches in Cleveland and Detroit to rally support for Democratic candidates, framing the upcoming midterms as a vital check on presidential power.
Obama was a grossly incompetent President! He paid off Iran with $Billions, and gave them a road to a Nuclear Weapon. He said that Crooked Hillary Clinton was going to WIN, he campaigned hard for her, and she lost in all directions and ways. He then campaigned full out for… pic.twitter.com/2iN0jZsNhJ
Barack Obama Rallies Voters in Cleveland and Detroit for Sherrod Brown and Abdul El-Sayed
With just 10 days left before midterm elections that could determine the balance of power in the U.S. Senate, Obama made a comeback to the pair of vital Rust Belt states where he previously secured two major electoral wins. Republicans control the Senate 53-47, and Democrats would need to gain four seats for a majority, since Vance serves as the tiebreaker. In Cleveland, Obama appeared alongside former Senator Sherrod Brown and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton at the Cleveland Public Auditorium.
El-Sayed is running against former Republican Representative Mike Rogers. Cheryl McWilliams, 67, remarked that Obama’s speech pumped people up to vote and expressed hope for high turnout, noting that Detroit must vote or whoever is running will lose. Chunnika Hodges, a Detroit resident who canvassed for El-Sayed, noted that some Black voters support Rogers because they feel nothing changes after years of voting for Democrats, pointing out the presence of conservative Black voters and conservative Democrats.
Former President Barack Obama criticized President Trump’s ongoing White House renovations, saying that it looks “like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory” as he returned to the campaign trail in Cleveland, Ohio on Saturday to back the state’s Democratic candidates ahead… pic.twitter.com/7q5VZHqgdj
Criticism of Trump Administration Policies and White House Renovations
Most importantly, he decided to start an unnecessary war that nobody asked for,
Obama told the crowd. Obama also defended the nuclear agreement negotiated during his presidency, claiming that Iran did not have nuclear weapons because he had put a deal in place that kept them from getting nukes. Obama also criticized Trump's tariffs, arguing that consumers pay the tab when tariffs are imposed because everyday goods and imported parts make life more expensive for Americans. He also took aim at Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, sarcastically describing him as someone laser-focused on important matters like the jawline and testosterone levels of troops.
The former president also mocked recent alterations to the executive mansion, taking aim at the president’s affinity for gold décor and physical upgrades to the grounds, such as the Rose Garden and a White House ballroom. He's got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory,
Obama quipped during the rally, adding that Trump seems very focused on home renovations and should be on HGTV.
Vivek Ramaswamy Campaign Ad and Bipartisan Condemnation in Ohio
The Ohio campaign stop unfolded amid intense controversy surrounding an attack advertisement released by Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. The spot omitted the context that Acton and her mother have been estranged for decades, following an incident where Acton’s mother backed her stepfather, who sexually assaulted Acton as a minor between December 1976 and April 1978. Cledith Arthur subsequently lost custody of her children after her husband was indicted on a charge of rape involving Acton and became a fugitive after failing to show for a court appearance.
Acton has previously spoken publicly about experiencing hardships, while appearing on stage before Obama she stated that her opponent chose to intentionally exploit her childhood to save a stumbling campaign. The ad drew swift and bipartisan backlash, with numerous Republicans urging Ramaswamy to take it down and a furious GOP strategist in Ohio noting that independents are breaking strongly for Democrats.
In recent days, we’ve seen there is no line he will not cross, no low he will not sink to.
Barack Obama, former U.S. President
Ramaswamy has defended his decision to press ahead with the ad as fair game, while President Trump aggressively defended the commercial as a disgrace while voting in West Palm Beach. Speaking on stage before Obama, Acton directly addressed her opponent.
Mr. Ramaswamy, you are not just out of touch, you are out for yourself and you are a danger to my state. Apparently there is no low to which you won’t stoop.
Dr. Amy Acton, Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate
Midterm Elections Positioned as a Circuit Breaker Against Federal Power
Shifting focus to the broader scope of the federal government, Obama characterized the November 3 midterm elections as an essential check on the current administration. He urged voters to limit executive overreach during the final two years of Trump’s term, portraying Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy as an opportunist and Jon Husted as a rubber stamp for the Trump administration. Brown also hammered Husted for his connections to the FirstEnergy corruption scandal, after Husted was appointed to the U.S. Senate in 2025 to take the seat held by Vance. During the speeches, crowds burst into chants of “Lock him up!” when Brown linked Husted to billionaires like Elon Musk and Trump.
This election is our last best chance to at least rein in some of the foolishness,
Obama said, calling on the electorate to flip that circuit breaker
and restore accountability in Washington against a spineless Congress and Republican governors enabling lawlessness, carelessness, cruelty, and indifference for working people.