Former President Barack Obama launched a forceful campaign against President Donald Trump’s record during a rally in Cleveland, Ohio, on Saturday, urging voters to use the upcoming midterm elections to demand a change in direction from the Republican administration.
Addressing a crowd at Public Auditorium, Obama described Trump as a source of “chaos and cruelty” and questioned whether the president had delivered on the promises that helped secure his return to the White House. The event marked Obama’s first campaign rally of the 2026 midterm election season.
According to NBC News, Obama’s visit was intended to boost two Democratic candidates facing competitive contests in Ohio: gubernatorial nominee Amy Acton and former senator Sherrod Brown, who is attempting to reclaim his former Senate seat.
Ohio has become a key battleground as Democrats look for opportunities to challenge Republican dominance in the state. Both contests have been described as closely fought, with Democrats particularly hopeful of winning the governorship for the first time in two decades.
Obama focused much of his speech on economic pressures, arguing that Trump’s policies had contributed to rising costs. He criticized the administration’s tariffs and its war with Iran, describing the conflict as unnecessary and blaming the president’s decisions for adding to the financial burden facing Americans.
He also took aim at Trump’s attention to White House renovations, joking that the president appeared more interested in redecorating than addressing the country’s problems.
The former president’s criticism extended to Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, whose campaign aired an attack advertisement featuring Donna Arthur, the estranged mother of Acton. Arthur calls her daughter a liar and urges voters not to support her.
The advertisement drew criticism from both sides of the political divide because it involved painful family history, including Acton’s account of childhood sexual abuse by her former stepfather. Acton has said she has not seen or spoken to her mother in nearly 50 years.
Obama questioned the standards behind the advertisement, saying there appeared to be no boundary Ramaswamy would refuse to cross to gain attention. Acton also condemned the campaign tactic at the rally, accusing her opponent of exploiting her childhood to help his campaign.
Ramaswamy has defended the advertisement, and his campaign told NBC News it planned to spend $4 million airing it. Trump has also expressed support for the ad.
Obama offered a contrasting message about Brown, praising the former senator’s longstanding support for working people. Brown, who lost his Senate seat in 2024, used his remarks to criticize political corruption and the financial interests he says influence Washington.
Republican representatives pushed back against Obama’s appearance, arguing that Democratic leadership would not address Ohioans’ concerns.
The rally forms part of a broader effort by Obama to help Democrats in competitive races. His office said he had helped raise more than $15 million for midterm campaigns and recorded more than two dozen television and radio advertisements.
With Ohio among the states likely to shape the national political outlook, Obama urged voters to treat the election as an opportunity to change course.
