Trump Rival Kaitlan Collins Claims Obama's Brutal Jab About White House Makeover Got 'Under Prez's Skin'
Obama mocked Trump’s gold-heavy White House renovations during campaign rallies in late October 2026.
Oct. 29 2026, Published 2:47 p.m. ET
CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins said former President Barack Obama's criticism of President Donald Trump's White House renovations appeared to get under Trump's skin, pointing to the president's repeated defenses of the work during campaign stops ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
On Wednesday's episode of The Source, Collins played clips of Trump responding to Obama's remarks after the former president mocked the White House makeover during campaign rallies.
Collins said Trump appeared particularly bothered by Obama's comments about the renovations and the now-viral Cheesecake Factory comparison.
Obama Mocks Trump's White House Changes
Obama joked that the White House looked like “Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory.”
Obama first targeted Trump's renovations during an Oct. 24 rally in Cleveland, Ohio, where he accused the president of focusing too heavily on home improvements while voters dealt with rising prices and other concerns.
"He seems very focused on home renovations. He should be on HGTV," Obama said, before mocking the new ballroom, changes to the Rose Garden, a helicopter pad on the South Lawn and the gold-heavy decor.
He then joked that Trump had the White House looking "like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory."
Obama returned to the controversy during a Wednesday, Oct. 28, rally in Georgia. He said Trump was particularly upset about the Cheesecake Factory portion of the joke and claimed the administration had mounted a "whole-of-government response" to it rather than addressing inflation.
Trump Defends Renovations at Rallies
Obama described Trump’s decorating as “arts and crafts,” including gluing gold medallions to an Oval Office mantel.
Trump responded to Obama's criticism at his Oct. 28 rally in Chillicothe, Ohio, where he argued that the White House needed extensive repairs.
He pointed to broken stone, cracked sidewalks, and other maintenance problems, saying the building should be "beautiful outside" and calling it the "number one symbol of our country."
"President Obama, who doesn't understand cleanliness.
Who doesn't understand broken, cracked stone and sidewalks," Trump said while defending the work. He also argued that asphalt should not lead to the White House's main entrance and said the property had been in poor condition when he returned to office.
Trump also pushed back on the Cheesecake Factory comparison, calling the restaurant a "very successful company" and suggesting Obama does not like successful businesses.
Collins Highlights Trump's Response
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Obama said Trump’s renovation focus distracted from inflation, military conflicts and other pressing issues.
Collins' comments came as Trump continued to address Obama's criticism on the campaign trail.
CNN reported that Trump had repeatedly returned to the renovation controversy, making it a more prominent part of his campaign remarks than Obama's other criticisms.
The issue also spilled into the broader political campaign after Trump's Chillicothe appearance, his third visit to Ohio in October.
The rally came less than a week before the Nov. 3 midterm elections, with Trump campaigning for Republican candidates in the state.
The White House makeover has now become part of a broader argument between Trump and Obama over presidential priorities.
Obama has framed the renovations as evidence that Trump is focused on appearances instead of economic concerns, while Trump has portrayed the work as necessary upkeep on a building he considers a national symbol.
The dispute continued to play out alongside the candidates' other campaign messages. At the Chillicothe rally, Trump also repeatedly praised Ohio Sen. Jon Husted's physique, a subject that has become a recurring feature of his October campaign appearances.
