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Obama attacks Trump at campaign rallies for Democrats ahead of midterms

Former US president Barack Obama delivered criticisms of Donald Trump at rallies in Ohio and Michigan to support Democratic candidates before the November 3 midterm elections.

25 October 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Archive photo: Obama attacks Trump at campaign rallies for Democrats ahead of midterms — Archive photoPhoto: Official White House Photo by Pete Souza · Wikimedia Commons · Public domain

Former US president Barack Obama spoke at rallies in Ohio and Michigan on Saturday to campaign for Democratic candidates ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. At a rally in Cleveland, Ohio, Obama characterised Trump's presidency in stark terms. "After two years of chaos and cruelty and corruption and incompetence, the likes of which we have not seen in the modern era, you get a chance to say, 'Enough is enough'," Obama declared. "We are voting for change right here in Ohio."

Obama focused on issues affecting voters ahead of the midterms, citing rising costs of living as a concern and warning of threats to democratic values. According to one account, he also highlighted what he described as Trump's "bad decisions" and referenced the US-Israel conflict involving Iran.

The Democratic base retains considerable support for Obama, whom the party sought to leverage in the campaign. Democrats are attempting to regain control of one or both chambers of the US Congress, which are currently controlled by the Republican party. Democrats need a net gain of four seats in both the US Senate and the US House of Representatives to overturn Republicans' narrow majorities.

On Sunday, President Trump responded to Obama's remarks. Trump called Obama "grossly incompetent" and accused him of having paid Iran with billions of dollars and given it a road to nuclear weapons. Trump also referenced Obama's support for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election, stating that Clinton lost.

According to reporting on the speeches, Obama framed the November 3 vote as a "circuit breaker" to "at least rein in some of the foolishness" of Trump's presidency. One account noted that Obama also attacked Trump over what it characterised as "grifting."

Trump campaigned in Michigan on Sunday, a day after Obama held rallies in the same state to support Democratic candidates.

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