Obama mocks Trump's White House renovations with Cheesecake Factory joke

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 26 Oct, 07:31 · Archive

Barack Obama compared Donald Trump's gold-adorned White House renovations to Saddam Hussein opening a Cheesecake Factory.

At campaign rallies in Cleveland, Ohio and Michigan on Saturday, former president Barack Obama criticised Donald Trump's approach to his second term, listing issues including an Iran war, inflation and ICE agent overreach. Obama questioned whether Trump was focused on these matters, then pivoted to the president's extensive White House renovations.

Obama described the changes as including a ballroom larger than the White House, paving over the Rose Garden, a helicopter pad on the South Lawn, and gold decoration throughout. He concluded: 'He's got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory.'

MAGA supporters reacted with anger on social media. Critics accused Obama of snobbery and of insulting both the Cheesecake Factory and its customers. Conservative commentators including Laura Loomer and Mark Whitlock responded by defending the restaurant as affordable and popular, and by attacking Obama's own wealth and the design of his presidential library in Chicago. Some also noted that Cheesecake Factory serves over 80 million meals annually to Americans.

While opponents of Trump praised Obama's mockery of the renovations, both sides agreed the joke dominated social media discussion of the weekend.

How it is being reported

• MAGA Melts Down Over Obama Comparing Trump's Oval Office To Cheesecake FactoryFormer President Barack Obama speaks during a campaign rally for Democratic Ohio Senate candidate Sherrod Brown, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, in Cleveland. The MAGA faithful got a bit worked up on Saturday after former US President Barack Obama mocked President Donald Trump’ s gold-plated Oval Office. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but he seems very focused on home renovation,” Obama said. “He should be on HGTV. ... There’s gold everywhere. He’s got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory.” While critics and opponents of Trump reveled in Obama’s roasting of the…HuffPost UK · 26 Oct, 07:15
• Why Obama’s ‘Cheesecake Factory’ joke has infuriated MagaThe former president mocks Trump's White House renovations but Republicans accuse him of snobberyThe i Paper · 26 Oct, 05:00

In this story: Barack Obama · Donald Trump · Ohio · Michigan · Cheesecake Factory · White House

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