Former US President Barack Obama attends a rally before the midterm elections in Cleveland, Ohio, US, October 24, 2026. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton
Former President Barack Obama took a brutal swipe at President Donald Trump's taste in decor, and critics of the president couldn't get enough.
Obama appeared in Cleveland on Saturday to support Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton and Senate candidate Sherrod Brown. During his speech to a packed crowd, Obama mocked the gold trim and accents Trump has added to the White House since returning to office. "He's got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory," Obama said. "It's gold everywhere."
The video clips of the jab quickly spread across social media, where Trump critics cheered the former president's delivery.
"Nobody does it better," wrote MeidasTouch co-founder Brett Meiselas. "Spot on description tbh," the MeidasTouch account added.
Majid M. Padellan, a political commentator who runs the popular Brooklyn Dad Defiant account, applauded, "My FAVORITE Obama is the OBAMA who takes off the gloves and clowns the s— out of trump."
Writer and journalist Nina Starner gushed, "LMFAOOO HE STILL GOT IT."
"Oh my godddddd," Democratic strategist Michelle Kinney marveled.
"Oh snap!" national columnist Sophia Nelson reacted.
"OH MY WORD," podcast host Kyle Kulinski said.
Former Obama adviser and political analyst David Axelrod described the comment as "lacerating and hilarious commentary on @POTUS's WH redesign from a guy who once lived there."
ACLU communications strategist Gillian Branstetter admitted, "I'll always have my criticisms of Obama but he's unmatched at this work. Often imitated, never replicated."
Obama wasn't the only former president to take aim at Trump's renovations. Earlier in the day, a clip circulated of former President Bill Clinton knocking lawmakers for staying quiet about Trump's overhaul of the Rose Garden.
"I think Congress made a mistake not protesting turning the Rose Garden into what looks like the entrance to Liberace's bathroom," Clinton said.
"Doh! First Clinton, now Obama," wrote political commentator Molly Ploofkins.
Report typos and corrections to corrections@rawstory.com.
For customer support contact support@rawstory.com.
