Nationwide ā President Donald Trump is once again taking shots at former President Barack Obama, this time mocking the ongoing delays and ballooning costs of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. During a May 6th Oval Office meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Trump criticized his predecessorās long-awaited library and museum project, calling it āa disasterā and suggesting he could have done a better job. āIf he wanted help, Iād give him help because Iām a really good builderāI build on time, on budget,ā Trump said.According to USA Today, the Obama Presidential Center, a $830 million, 19-acre project located in Chicagoās South Side, was originally scheduled to open in 2021 but is now expected to debut in 2026. Its cost has more than doubled from its original $350 million estimate. Despite the setbacks, the Obama Foundation maintains that the center will revitalize the area and generate $3 billion in economic activity, offering amenities like a public forum, athletic center, great lawn, and playground.
Trump didnāt stop at construction costs. He criticized the foundationās commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in its hiring practices, claiming that Obama āonly wants DEIā and āwoke peopleā working on the project. The Obama Foundation has stated that 35% of subcontractors are minority-owned, 15% women-owned, and 9% from the local area. A recent racial discrimination lawsuit between subcontractors added fuel to the controversy, though the foundation is not a party to the case.
In recent public appearances, Obama has been openly critical of Trumpās leadership during his second term. In April, Obama called out the administrationās moves to defund colleges that support DEI programs or permit mask usage, labeling the actions as politically motivated and harmful. āImagine if I had done any of this,ā Obama told students at Hamilton College, also criticizing Trumpās expulsion of the Associated Press from official events.
While the two former presidents were seen briefly exchanging pleasantries earlier this year at President Jimmy Carterās funeral, the political tension between them remains sharp. Obama has encouraged universities and law firms to resist the current administrationās policies, warning that they undermine basic democratic values.
Interestingly, despite his longstanding feud with Obamaāincluding pushing the false ābirtherā theory over a decade agoāTrump has at times softened his tone. During the 2024 campaign, he called Obama a ānice gentlemanā and even mused about how much heād enjoy a head-to-head race. āIād love that, boy, Iād love that,ā he said when asked about running against Obama in an imaginary third-term election.