While political competition is heating up before the Congressional midterm elections to be held on November 3 in the USA, former President Barack Obama attended rallies held in Ohio and Michigan to support Democratic candidates.
Speaking at election events in Cleveland and Detroit, Obama accused US President Donald Trump of corruption, while also targeting his military operations against Iran and the renovations he carried out in the White House.
Addressing voters in Michigan for Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, Obama said that the midterm elections are critical to limiting the policies of the Trump administration.
Obama called the Nov. 3 election a "circuit breaker" against the Trump administration's policies.
Stating that the elections provide an opportunity to stop some of the administration's practices, Obama said, "We must activate this circuit breaker and hold the government accountable."
Urging Democratic voters to go to the polls, Obama argued that the elections could restrain the Trump administration's policies, at least to a certain extent.
In the Senate race in Michigan, Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed will face Republican candidate and former House member Mike Rogers.
CORRUPTION ACCUSED AGAINST TRUMP
Obama claimed that Trump was using his presidency for his personal interests and accused the Republican Party of turning a blind eye to this situation.
Obama, who toughened his criticism of the Trump administration, said:
"We have never seen a president so openly profiteering from taxpayers' money. Nor have we seen a president so determined to sell privilege."
Criticizing the political line of the Republican Party, Obama said, "It seems that the party now advocates either a corrupt government, an incompetent government, or no government at all."
The White House did not initially respond to a request for comment regarding Obama's statements.
The public opinion poll conducted by Reuters/Ipsos in August also brought to the fore the debates about the relationship between Trump's personal business activities and his presidency.
According to the research, 63 percent of Americans think that Trump and his family have improperly profited from cryptocurrency activities since his return to the White House.
69 percent of participants share the view that Trump's political decisions are influenced by his private business relationships.
OBAMA'S CRITICISM OF IRAN: 'HE GAINED VETO POWER OVER THE STRAIT OF HORmuz'
Obama's target was also the Trump administration's military operations against Iran.
Ridiculing the Trump administration's statements about victory over Iran, Obama argued that the war increased Iran's economic influence.
Stating that Iran's threats to attack commercial ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz made oil exporters nervous, Obama said, "Iran now has veto power over the Strait of Hormuz, where the world's oil is transported."
Obama argued that despite the Trump administration's claims of military success, the war provided Iran with the opportunity to put more pressure on global energy markets.
The former US President also criticized the priorities of the Trump administration with sarcastic expressions.
Taking aim at Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Obama argued that the administration was focusing its attention on unimportant issues, saying Hegseth was "focused on important issues like soldiers' jawlines and testosterone levels."
Obama also criticized Trump's ostentatious renovations in the White House and used the following statement:
“He turned the White House into a place where it looked like Saddam Hussein had opened a Cheesecake Factory restaurant.”
CRITICAL ELECTION FOR CONTROL OF CONGRESS
The midterm elections to be held in the USA on November 3 will be decisive in terms of the power struggle between Republicans and Democrats.
Before the elections, which will reshape the balance in Congress, Democrats aim to benefit from Obama's popularity in order to mobilize the party base.
It is considered that the particularly contentious Senate race in Michigan may have important consequences for the balance of power in Congress.
