Obama Criticizes Trump's "Unprecedented Incompetence" While Trump Mocks Rally Turnout in Heated Campaign Trail Clash

With the U.S. midterm elections just 10 days away, President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama campaigned in battleground states on October 24, local time, rallying support for Republican and Democratic candidates, respectively, while launching sharp criticisms at each other.

In Georgia, President Trump mocked the size of former President Obama's rally and touted his economic achievements, while Obama criticized the incompetence of the Trump administration in Ohio and Michigan, appealing to voters to serve as a check on the ruling government.

At a Democratic campaign event in Cleveland, Ohio, former President Obama targeted the second-term Trump administration, calling it "two years of chaos, cruelty, corruption, and an incompetence unprecedented in modern history."

In particular, he defined the war with Iran initiated by President Trump as an "unnecessary war that no one asked for or agreed with," arguing that the conflict and tariff policies fueled inflation.

He also criticized President Trump for focusing on increasing the wealth of himself, his family, and his associates rather than reducing the burden of the cost of living for ordinary citizens.

Furthermore, Obama remarked that President Trump is obsessed with remodeling the White House, saying, "He should be on HGTV."

"He's made the White House look like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory. It is all gold," he added.

The remark mocked President Trump's lavish White House decor by comparing the luxurious palace of the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein to the popular American casual dining chain The Cheesecake Factory.

He emphasized, "This election is the last and best chance to at least put a brake on some of the foolishness of the current administration."

This marked the first time former President Obama has participated in large-scale in-person rallies during the midterm election cycle.

He also visited Detroit, Michigan, on the same day to support Democratic candidates.

Meanwhile, President Trump, campaigning in Perry, Georgia, also targeted former President Obama.

Trump claimed, "Obama was in Michigan, and his venue was empty. But they say, 'Oh, a huge crowd is gathering.'"

On the other hand, he expressed frustration that the media is unfair, noting that reports fail to cover the crowd sizes at his own rallies.

However, The New York Times (NYT) pointed out that President Trump's claim about Obama's rally venue being empty was untrue.

President Trump also clashed with former President Obama regarding economic and Iran policies.

Trump argued, "Obama said America wasn't a manufacturing nation, but he was wrong. Thanks to our tariff policies, giant corporations are coming back to the U.S."

He also criticized the Iran nuclear deal (the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA) signed during the Obama administration as "one of the worst deals ever made," claiming it was "a pathway for Iran to get nuclear weapons."

He went on to emphasize the legitimacy of the war with Iran, asserting that he scrapped the agreement and destroyed Iran's uranium enrichment capabilities through military operations against Iran, adding, "We will ensure that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon."

According to the NYT, former President Obama is scheduled to campaign in Georgia next week, while President Trump will visit Michigan on October 25.

As both parties engage in a fierce competition for majority control of the federal Congress and governorships, the head-to-head clashes between the former and current presidents in key battleground states are further intensifying the election race.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.