Former President Donald Trump criticized Barack Obama on Monday after Obama compared the White House’s recent renovations to a Cheesecake Factory during a campaign event in Ohio. Trump called the remark insulting and defended his administration’s upgrades to the executive residence.
Trump responds to Obama’s criticism
During a Mississippi rally, Trump told supporters that Obama’s comment was inappropriate and suggested it reflected poorly on Obama’s presidency. “He said, ‘This isn’t a Cheesecake Factory,’” Trump stated. “Which is a very successful company. He doesn’t like successful companies.” Trump also reiterated his claim that the White House was in poor condition before his administration’s renovations. “I’ve taken care of the White House,” he said. “I fixed it with the finest artisans in the world. We reskinned it. It was in horrible shape.”
At a separate event earlier in the day, Trump told reporters that Obama’s remark revealed flaws in his predecessor’s leadership. “For you to say it’s a Cheesecake Factory...that just shows why you were a lousy president,” Trump said. He added that Obama “is not smart at all” and failed to maintain the White House properly.
Obama’s original criticism
During a Saturday campaign appearance in Ohio, Obama mocked Trump’s renovations, stating, “He seems very focused on home renovations. He should be on HGTV.” Obama then quipped, “He’s got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory!” The former president also referenced the gold accents, a ballroom, and a helicopter pad on the South Lawn as examples of Trump’s ostentatious style.
Reactions and counter-reactions
The exchange drew significant attention on social media, with some users noting Trump’s visible frustration. Journalist Aaron Rupar shared clips of Trump’s remarks, captioning them, “Trump is BIG MAD about Obama saying the White House now looks like Saddam opened a Cheesecake Factory.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, a Trump appointee, responded by dining at a Cheesecake Factory in Washington, D.C., and praising the restaurant’s food. “I had a great meal,” Bessent told a Fox Business reporter. “I would just tell the Martha’s Vineyard set to give it a try.” Bessent also criticized Obama’s Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, calling it “a museum that looks like Darth Vader’s tomb.”
Critics of Obama highlighted the contrast between his criticism of Trump’s renovations and his own legacy projects. One commentator noted that Obama’s presidential library, which cost $1 billion, has been described by some as resembling “a wizard prison.” Others pointed out that Obama’s remarks about taste and decor could be seen as elitist, given his ownership of a property on Martha’s Vineyard.
The White House has not issued an official statement regarding the renovations or the public exchange between the two former presidents.