Former President Barack Obama mocked President Donald Trump’s White House renovations Saturday, comparing the historic residence to a Cheesecake Factory run by Saddam Hussein while campaigning for Democrats in Ohio.
Obama delivered the jab during a Cleveland rally supporting Democrat gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton and Senate candidate Sherrod Brown, criticizing Trump’s priorities just 10 days before the midterm elections.
“I mean, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but he seems very focused on home renovations,” Obama said. “He should be on HGTV.”
OBAMA CLAIMS HE OCCUPIES ‘A SUITE’ IN TRUMP’S MIND, QUESTIONS THE PRESIDENT’S FOCUS ON AMERICANS
Obama rattled off Trump’s ballroom project, Rose Garden makeover and South Lawn helipad before taking aim at the president’s affinity for gold décor.
“He’s got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory,” Obama quipped.
The renovations, however, include several functional upgrades to the White House grounds.
The Rose Garden’s former central lawn was replaced with limestone paving in 2025, creating a patio for outdoor events, speeches and entertaining, while the traditional roses were retained around the perimeter.
Trump also unveiled an upgraded granite White House helipad featuring the presidential seal in September. Official White House photographs show Marine One landing on and departing from the new facility during a Sept. 21 ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The administration’s ballroom project is intended to provide permanent, secure space for large official events, addressing a longstanding reliance on temporary tents for major White House functions. A National Park Service environmental assessment notes that the need for expanded event space was identified in a White House planning document dating to 2000.
Obama’s swipe at Trump’s White House makeover comes as his own presidential center in Chicago has faced criticism over its imposing, granite-clad tower, which some critics have dubbed the ‘Obamalisk,’ along with ballooning construction costs and years of delays.
The Obama Presidential Center’s projected price tag has surpassed $1 billion, nearly triple its original $350 million estimate, according to . Subcontractors have alleged they are owed millions for their work, while taxpayers have been saddled with hundreds of millions of dollars in associated public infrastructure costs separate from the center’s construction budget.
Obama’s criticism extended beyond the presidential residence to Trump’s handling of the conflict with Iran, which the former president blamed for higher energy costs.
“Most importantly, he decided to start an unnecessary war that nobody asked for and nobody voted for,” Obama said
