Obama: Trump mobilized the entire government over a joke

Barack Obama mocked Donald Trump's reaction to his joke that the White House looked like Saddam Hussein had opened a Cheesecake Factory restaurant. The former president was speaking at a campaign rally in Georgia, where he supported Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff and gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms.

“The president didn't even get mad about the Saddam Hussein comparison. It didn't bother him, but he was very upset about the Cheesecake Factory part,“ Obama told supporters.

He added that the White House had “mobilized the entire government“ over his remark. According to Obama, the administration sought out the Treasury Secretary and offered him a press conference in front of a chain restaurant.

“This is the guy who is responsible for the economy, for making life more affordable, for reducing inflation and interest rates. And they told him to give a press conference in front of the Cheesecake Factory“, Obama said.

The joke is a continuation of his criticism of the changes to the presidential residence. Obama said that Trump is building a ballroom bigger than the White House, has covered part of the Rose Garden and has built a helipad on the South Lawn.

“There is gold everywhere. So much gold“, the former president said. He assured the audience that he was not exaggerating when he talked about the gold elements in the Oval Office.

Obama also criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegsett, saying he was focused on the “jaws and testosterone levels“ of US service members and on broadcasting executions.

Trump's response

Donald Trump hit back at Obama on Monday before leaving for a campaign event. The president said the comparison to a restaurant showed why the former head of state was a “weak president“.

“He's not smart at all because of the way he ran the country. "Only a fool would run the country like that," Trump said.

Trump defended the White House renovations, saying the building was in poor condition when he took office. "I took care of the White House. I fixed it with the best craftsmen in the world," the president said.

Obama and Trump are publicly trading blows in the final days before the Nov. 3 congressional elections. Ossoff is running for re-election as a senator against Republican Mike Collins, while Bottoms is the Democratic candidate for governor of Georgia.

Against this backdrop, a Reuters/Ipsos poll showed 32 percent approval of Trump's job performance compared to 66 percent disapproval. Among likely voters, Democrats lead Republicans 53% to 44% in overall sentiment about the congressional elections.

Sources: dailymail.com, cbsnews.com