Vice President JD Vance has hit back at former President Barack Obama, accusing the Democratic heavyweight of being “super elitist.” It comes after Obama recently compared President Donald Trump’s White House renovations to a Cheesecake Factory restaurant, joking that it looks like it was opened by former President of Iraq Saddam Hussein.
Vance made the comments during a Fox News town hall event in Texas on Thursday, October 29, as Republicans and Democrats continue to exchange criticism over the president’s extensive renovation projects, including the construction of a ballroom.
President Donald J. Trump attends a Rose Garden Lunch for first responders Thursday, October 15, 2026. (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian)
Donald Trump Voting. Creative Commons Photo.
Obama also accused President Trump and his administration of spending more time and attention on “arts and crafts” than on addressing the rising cost of living for most Americans.
The fiasco has become a major campaign point, with just days to go until voters decide which party will control Congress.
What Obama Said
Former President Barack Obama made headlines with comments during a campaign rally in Cleveland, Ohio, on Saturday, October 24.
Obama attended to support of Democratic Senate candidate Sherrod Brown and gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton ahead of the November 3 midterms.
During his speech, Obama criticized President Trump for spending time renovating the White House and adding gold finishes to the Oval Office.
He also criticized the decision to build a ballroom to host foreign leaders and major events.
“Does anybody really think this guy in the White House right now is spending all that time thinking about these issues?” Obama said. “I mean, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but he seems very focused on home renovations. He should be on HGTV.”
Obama then dropped the line:
“He’s got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory.”
What Vance Said
Speaking during a town hall hosted by Fox News anchor Jesse Watters on Thursday, Vice President Vance criticized former President Obama for using the popular restaurant chain to mock the president.
Vance said that he personally likes the chain and suggested that the comments proved Democrats were disconnected from ordinary voters.
On the joke, Vance said he “didn’t fully get” it and that he likes the restaurant.
“I think it’s like a good example of how Obama, without even trying to be, just can’t help himself from being super elitist,” he said.
“Remember, this is the guy who said that people who wanted good jobs were ‘clinging to their guns and their religion,’ as if God and the Second Amendment were something to be ashamed of,” he continued.
He also said that Obama’s recent speech “drove home how divorced the Democrats are from actual Americans.”
Trump and Bessent Respond
Vice President Vance isn’t the only Trump administration official to respond to the insult. President Trump responded during a campaign rally speech in Corinth, Mississippi, on Monday, October 26.
The president defended his ongoing White House renovations and insisted much of the work consists of critical repairs.
“The White House represents our country, and that has to be pristine. And I would try and explain that to a guy like Obama, but he wouldn’t understand,” Trump said.
The president said the White House needed cracked masonry repaired and missing decorations replaced, among several other maintenance issues.
He also said that, despite Obama’s characterizations, the repair work actually consumed very little of his time.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also chimed in on Monday, visiting a Cheesecake Factory restaurant in Washington, D.C. During his visit, he criticized Obama’s own presidential center located in Chicago, describing the building as looking like “Darth Vader’s tomb.”
The White House also responded with statements issued on its official social media accounts. One of the posts included a modified Cheesecake Factory menu that listed the administration’s achievements.
Obama Hits Back…Again
The responses prompted President Barack Obama to wade back into the controversy.
Speaking at another rally in Morrow, Georgia, Obama accused the Trump administration of overreacting.
The former president explained on October 28 that he regularly visited the Cheesecake Factory with his daughters when they were young, and insisted that he was not insulting the restaurant or its customers.
Obama also accused the Trump administration of failing to address his criticism of the president’s economic policies, and said that “they mobilized a whole-of-government response” to his joke, and not to inflation.
Obama’s comments may resonate with voters.
Polls suggest that a growing share of Americans are dissatisfied with the president’s many renovation projects, with an October Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll finding 59% of American adults believe that the president is spending too much time on the projects.
27% said that Trump was spending the appropriate amount of time on repairs and renovations, and 11% said that he was not spending enough.
About the Author: Jack Buckby
Jack Buckby is a British researcher and analyst specializing in defense and national security, based in New York. His work focuses on military capability, procurement, and strategic competition, and he produces and edits analysis for policy and defense audiences. He brings extensive editorial experience, with a career output spanning over 1,000 articles at National Security Journal, and has previously authored books and papers on extremism and deradicalization.
