‘Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory’: Obama’s savage takedown of Trump’s White House makeover — what he said

Taking aim at the president’s aesthetic choices, Obama told the crowd: “He’s got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory.”

Former US President Barack Obama has launched a satirical attack on Donald Trump’s White House renovation projects, mocking the planned ballroom, changes to the Rose Garden and extensive gold decorations as he campaigned for Democratic candidates ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.

Speaking at a campaign rally in Ohio on Saturday (October 24) Obama joked that Trump appeared more interested in home renovations than governing the country.

“I don't know if you've noticed, but he seems very focused on home renovations. He should be on HGTV,” Obama said, referring to the television network known for home improvement and real estate programming.

“The guy’s building a ballroom that’s bigger than the White House. Paved over the Rose Garden, put a helicopter pad on the South Lawn, and there’s gold everywhere! What’s up with the gold? Everything—more gold!” he added.

Taking aim at the president’s aesthetic choices, Obama told the crowd: “He’s got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory.”

The remark drew laughter and applause from the audience.

Obama’s comments were part of a wider attack on Trump as the former president addressed rallies in Cleveland, Ohio, and Detroit, Michigan, to rally Democratic voters before the midterm elections.

Obama urges voters to limit Trump’s power

Obama framed the November 3 elections as an opportunity for voters to hold the Trump administration accountable. Republicans currently control both chambers of Congress, and Democrats are seeking to regain control of one or both.

Acknowledging that Trump would remain in office for another two years, Obama argued that voters could still change the balance of power in Washington by electing Democrats.

“Like it or not, we’re stuck with two more years of this, but we’re not stuck with a spineless Congress,” Obama told supporters.

He added that voters had a chance to reject what he described as two years of “chaos and cruelty and corruption and incompetence”.

“We got to flip that circuit breaker, bring some accountability to this government,” Obama said in Michigan, describing the election as an opportunity to rein in the administration.

Obama also urged voters in Ohio and Michigan to cast their ballots early, saying the election presented a chance to bring about political change.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Obama’s criticism of Trump’s renovation projects.

Obama remains a prominent figure among Democratic voters, and the party is seeking to use his campaigning to boost candidates in closely contested races ahead of the midterms. The November 3 vote will determine control of the US House of Representatives and a portion of the Senate, shaping the balance of power during the remainder of Trump’s term.