Former United States President Barack Obama has sharply criticised President Donald Trump’s administration, accusing it of creating what he described as “chaos and cruelty” as he campaigned for Democratic candidates ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.

Obama made the remarks during campaign rallies in Ohio and Michigan, where he urged voters to support Democratic candidates seeking to challenge Republican control of Congress and win key state offices.

Speaking in Cleveland, Ohio, Obama blamed the Trump administration for rising living costs and criticised the president’s foreign policy decisions, particularly the war involving the United States and Israel against Iran.

“The current president chose to make a series of bad decisions,” Obama said, arguing that the administration’s policies had placed additional pressure on Americans.

He subsequently accused the administration of presiding over two years of “chaos and cruelty and corruption and incompetence”, urging voters to use the forthcoming elections to demand political change.

“We are voting for change right here in Ohio,” he declared.

Obama was campaigning alongside former Democratic senator Sherrod Brown, who is seeking to return to the US Senate, and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton, who is challenging Republican Vivek Ramaswamy.

The former president also criticised a controversial campaign advertisement featuring Acton’s estranged mother, arguing that political competition should not come at the expense of personal dignity. Acton has previously spoken publicly about her difficult childhood, including experiences of abuse and homelessness.

Obama later travelled to Detroit, Michigan, to support Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed and other party candidates. He defended El-Sayed against attacks targeting his progressive political positions and Muslim faith, while encouraging voters to participate in the electoral process.

The rallies form part of the Democrats’ broader effort to regain control of one or both chambers of Congress, which are currently controlled by Republicans. The November 3 elections are expected to determine the balance of power in Washington and influence the direction of the remaining two years of Trump’s second presidency.

Obama’s intervention highlights the significance of prominent party figures in mobilising supporters during closely contested elections. His criticism also places the administration’s economic record, foreign policy and political conduct at the centre of the Democrats’ campaign message.

However, the election outcome will ultimately depend on voters’ assessments of the competing candidates, their policies and their records in office.

Barack Obama criticises Donald Trump’s administration over economic pressures, foreign policy and political conduct while campaigning for Democrats ahead of the November 3, 2026, US midterm elections.