Washington, Oct 2026 : Former US President Barack Obama criticised President Donald Trump’s administration over its war with Iran, trade tariffs and immigration policies, arguing that the measures had contributed to rising living costs and urging voters to use the November 3 midterm elections to hold the government accountable.
Addressing a rally at the Cleveland Public Auditorium in Ohio on Saturday, Obama campaigned for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton and former Senator Sherrod Brown, who is seeking a seat in the US Senate. Brown introduced the former president at the event.
Obama described the upcoming midterm elections as “the circuit breaker in the system”, arguing that a stronger Democratic presence in Congress could limit the administration’s actions.
“This administration’s actions are directly responsible for rising costs,” Obama said, accusing Trump of starting an unnecessary war that Americans had neither demanded nor voted for.
Obama Criticises Trump’s Iran War and Rising Oil Prices
Focusing on the conflict with Iran, Obama contrasted Trump’s military approach with the nuclear agreement negotiated during his presidency. He said diplomacy had offered a way to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons without launching military strikes.
“Iran didn’t have nuclear weapons because I put a deal in place that everybody acknowledged, kept them from getting nukes, and I didn’t have to fire a missile to do it. I just had to engage in diplomacy,” Obama said.
He argued that the conflict had exposed US forces and allies to attacks, caused American casualties and depleted missile stockpiles. He also claimed that Iran had gained significant leverage over the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which a substantial volume of global oil shipments passes.
Obama linked the disruption to higher oil and diesel prices, saying the economic consequences were being felt by American consumers. The Strait of Hormuz is also a critical route for crude oil supplies reaching major Asian importers, including India.
Tariffs and Trade Disputes Under Fire
Obama also criticised Trump’s tariff policies, arguing that import duties ultimately increase costs for consumers.
“Consumers pay the tab,” he said, adding that tariffs had contributed to rising prices.
Mocking the administration’s trade disputes, Obama joked about tensions with Canada, referring to the country’s reputation for maple syrup and comedian Martin Short.
His remarks placed trade policy and inflation at the centre of his criticism of the Republican administration, as economic concerns remain an important issue ahead of the midterm elections.
Immigration Enforcement and White House Spending
On immigration, Obama said he supported an orderly and secure border and believed people should enter the United States lawfully. However, he questioned the administration’s enforcement methods, criticising the use of masked agents and raising concerns about the detention of law-abiding citizens.
Obama also mocked Trump’s White House renovation plans, including a proposed ballroom, joking that the President should appear on a home-improvement television programme because of the scale of the project and its extensive use of gold.
He further accused Trump of using the presidency for personal benefit, citing cryptocurrency ventures, taxpayer-funded contracts involving family businesses and a controversial pardon for a Venezuelan billionaire. These allegations were part of Obama’s campaign criticism.
The former president also accused congressional Republicans of failing to hold Trump accountable and singled out Ohio Senator Jon Husted, Brown’s Republican opponent.
Obama Urges Voters to Back Democrats
Obama described the November 3 midterm elections as an opportunity to restrain what he called excessive and misguided decisions by the administration.
“This election is our last best chance to at least rein in some of the foolishness of this administration. It’s the circuit breaker in the system. We need to flip that circuit breaker,” he said.
He also criticised Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy over a campaign advertisement targeting Acton.
After the Ohio rally, Obama travelled to Detroit to campaign for Democratic candidates in Michigan, continuing his efforts to mobilise voters ahead of the elections.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
