Former President Barack Obama criticized U.S. President Donald Trump over his costly renovations to the White House at a time when Americans struggle to access health care amid the government shutdown.
Speaking at a rally in Virginia over the weekend, Obama joked about Trump’s spending on the White House.
“He has been focused on critical issues like paving over the Rose Garden so folks don’t get mud on their shoes. And gold-plating the Oval Office and building a $300 million ballroom,” Obama said.
Highlights
- Barack Obama criticized Trump’s $300M White House ballroom amid a 33-day government shutdown and hardships for millions.
- Obama mocked Trump’s focus on White House luxury over pressing issues, calling it 'all tricks and no treats.'
- Obama condemned the White House for 'lawlessness, carelessness, and mean-spiritedness' during his rally speeches.
- Obama urged voters to focus on voting, not booing, as Trump uses distractions like AI videos to divert attention.
Obama criticized Trump’s renovations to the White House amid the government shutdown
Image credits: Kyle Mazza/Getty Images
The crowd erupted in laughter when Obama added, “Here's the good news—if you can‘t visit a doctor, don't worry ... he will save you a dance.”
Obama made the remarks while campaigning for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger in Virginia ahead of Tuesday’s election.
He later spoke in Newark, New Jersey, supporting Representative Mikie Sherrill, who faces Republican Jack Ciattarelli.
The White House renovations under Trump have drawn criticism for their exorbitant cost. The $300 million ballroom, originally designed for 650 people, is now planned to host up to 900.
While the U.S. government has been under shutdown for 33 days, causing federal workers to lose out on pay and over 40 million SNAP recipients losing benefits, Trump raised $350 million from his deep-pocketed friends for the ballroom.
Image credits: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
The construction of the ballroom began without approval from the National Capital Planning Commission, which regulates government building projects in Washington, D.C.
Trump has since fired all six members of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (CFA), an independent federal agency reviewing major construction and design projects in Washington.
The administration also demolished the East Wing of the White House despite Trump’s assurances that the project would not affect the original building.
“It’s like every day is Halloween, except it’s all tricks and no treats,” Obama said at a rally in Virginia, talking about the “dangers to democracy” of Trump’s second term.
Obama, who rarely takes such a confrontational public stance, started his speech by saying that “our country and our politics are in a pretty dark place right now.”
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“It’s hard to know where to start, because every day this White House offers up a fresh batch of lawlessness, carelessness, and mean-spiritedness, and just plain old craziness,” he said as cheers filled the room.
“I worry about the growing concentration of economic power in this country, with just a handful of mega billionaires and companies controlling what we see and what we hear,” Obama said in Virginia earlier on Saturday.
Obama has also promoted California’s Proposition 50 redistricting initiative and supported other Democratic candidates in recent weeks, recording advertisements alongside prominent Democrats such as Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jasmine Crockett.
Obama’s appearances come as Democrats focus on key state elections and the effects of the ongoing government shutdown.
During his speech in Norfolk, Obama accused Trump of using the Department of Justice (DOJ) to prosecute his political opponents, and mentioned the “weird” AI-generated videos Trump shares, including one depicting him dropping feces on New York City ‘No Kings’ protesters from a fighter jet while wearing a crown.
“All of that is designed to distract you from the fact that your situation has not gotten better,” Obama told the crowd.
Obama said the White House offers up ‘lawlessness, carelessness, and mean-spiritedness’
Image credits: Win McNamee/Getty Images
When the audience booed Trump, Obama brought back his trademark line from 2016: “Don’t boo, vote.”
“They don’t hear boos. They hear votes,” he said, adding Trump’s “No Kings Day” AI video is “not even worth booing about.”
According to CNN, people close to Obama say he is “not so sure” that “America would survive Donald Trump.”
“He doesn’t want to be the leader of the party—he was the leader of the free world. But it feels like sometimes he’s got to speak his mind,” an insider said about Obama.
CNN also alleged that Obama has been reaching out to institutional leaders, urging them not to bow to the current administration, even if it costs them financially.