Obama blasts Trump while campaigning for US midterms

Former US President Barack Obama criticized his successor, Donald Trump, during rallies in Ohio and Michigan to support Democratic candidates before the midterm elections on November 3. Democrats aim to regain control of one or both chambers of Congress, currently held by the Republican Party under Trump's leadership. The 65-year-old former president, still popular among the Democratic base, blamed Trump's administration for rising living costs and a top voter concern, soaring fuel prices.

In Ohio, Obama rallied for former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown, criticizing Trump's decision to initiate an unnecessary war. In Cleveland, he urged voters to "say enough is enough" and vote for change, highlighting the powerful duo of Abdul El-Sayed and incumbent Senator Elissa Slotkin. In Michigan, Obama also campaigned for El-Sayed and encouraged early voting.

He urged voters not to delay their ballots. In Ohio, Brown faces incumbent Republican Senator Jon Husted, while the gubernatorial race pits Democrat Amy Acton against Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, who previously ran for president in 2024. Ohio polls give Democrats a slight lead, but the outcomes are expected to be close. Obama also mocked Trump's renovations at the White House, including the Reflecting Pool, the White House Ballroom, and the Oval Office's gilded decorations, jokingly comparing it to a Cheesecake Factory.

Nationally, polls suggest Democrats might take control of the House of Representatives but face a more competitive challenge for the Senate.