Brief
Obama and Trump exchange barbs in final week before midterms
Obama criticised Trump’s White House renovations while Trump defended the building at rallies in Ohio and Georgia.
By Felo News Desk · Published
President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama continued to trade barbs on the campaign trail in the final days before the U.S. midterm elections, according to a live‑blog from The Guardian.
What happened
At a rally in suburban Atlanta, Obama called Trump and the Republican Party “not serious people” and said the nation is paying the price for their lack of seriousness. He also mocked Trump’s “gilded renovations” of the White House, likening the president’s reaction to a joke about Saddam Hussein decorating a Cheesecake Factory to a “crazy” over‑reaction that prompted a government response.
Trump, speaking at a rally in Ohio, defended the White House’s appearance, saying it is “the number one symbol of our country” and that it cannot have broken windows or stone that hasn’t been painted in 30 years.
The midterm contest includes 35 of the 100 Senate seats and all 435 House seats, with analysts generally favouring Democrats for a House majority.
What the reports add
The Guardian’s live‑blog noted that Obama’s criticism included a reference to the Treasury secretary being asked to hold a press conference at the Cheesecake Factory, a detail not reported by other outlets. It also mentioned a federal judge’s decision rejecting a Justice Department request to segregate ballots in California, a separate development tied to the election.
What was said
“These are not serious people,” Obama told the Atlanta crowd, as reported by The Guardian.
“The White House, I think, is the number one symbol of our country, and we can’t have a White House with broken windows, with broken stone that hasn’t been painted in 30 years,” Trump said in Ohio, also cited by The Guardian.
How it came about
Earlier this week, Felo News covered Trump’s final‑week rally tour, including stops in Texas, Oklahoma and Georgia (trump‑vance‑obama-midterm‑rallies). Obama’s recent speeches in Georgia, alongside Georgia Democrats, marked a shift from his previously low profile, echoing the heightened rhetoric described in the live‑blog.
Key facts
- Obama called Trump and the Republican Party "not serious people" at an Atlanta rally (theguardian.com)
- Trump defended the White House's condition at an Ohio rally, saying it cannot have broken windows or unpainted stone (theguardian.com)
- 35 Senate seats and all 435 House seats are up for election on Nov. 3, 2026 (theguardian.com)
Sources
- [1] theguardian.com — originally reported as “Trump and Obama trade barbs on campaign trail in final days before midterm election – US politics live”
