Former President Barack Obama spent Saturday campaigning in Ohio and Michigan, and President Donald Trump answered him twice before sunrise Sunday. By mid-morning, Trump was on the phone with Fox News.
In Ohio, Obama ridiculed Trump’s White House renovations. He compared the president’s taste in gold to Saddam Hussein’s and accused him of enriching his family and political allies.
Trump countered at a packed rally in Georgia. He mocked Obama’s ability to attract supporters and said his tariffs are delivering billions in investment and thousands of American jobs.
The exchange unfolded across three battleground states, with control of Congress at stake in the November 3 midterms.
At 1am Sunday, Trump took to Truth Social. “Obama was a grossly incompetent President!” he wrote, pointing to Obama’s backing of Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Kamala Harris in 2024.
“He said that Crooked Hillary Clinton was going to WIN, he campaigned hard for her, and she lost in all directions and ways. He then campaigned full out for Kamala, and likewise, she lost,” Trump wrote.
Trump then singled out Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic Senate candidate in Michigan.
“Now he’s campaigning for a Muslim Brotherhood Jihadist, who hates Jews and Blacks and AMERICANS and TRUMP, and he is going to lose, also,” he wrote. He added, “He’s a Fake Doctor, who runs what is considered to be the WORST CLINIC IN AMERICA.”
The Daily Mail described the claims about El-Sayed’s religion, political beliefs and professional background as unsubstantiated.
El-Sayed, the son of Egyptian immigrants, could become the first Muslim US senator. He is running on a platform that includes Medicare for All.
Hours later, Trump joined Larry Kudlow for a phone interview on Sunday Morning Futures that ran nearly 30 minutes. Trump sounded raspy.
Kudlow served as Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and Director of the National Economic Council in Trump’s first term.
Trump described his schedule. “Done 14 rallies in nine days,” he said, and then added, “it’s a lot.”
He also relayed what he said foreign leaders told him.
“The king, I tell you, the king of Saudi Arabia said, ‘You know, you were a dead country, and now you have the hottest country in the world,’” Trump said.
He said Xi Jinping delivered a similar message at the White House.
“Yes, President Xi was here two weeks ago. He said, ‘You have the hottest country in the world. The job you’ve done is incredible,’” Trump said.
Trump turned to the Senate map. He called Texas Republican nominee Ken Paxton “the greatest attorney general in Texas” and nicknamed Democrat James Talarico “Talafreako.”
He claimed Talarico opposes the oil and gas industry, firearms and meat. The Cook Political Report now rates the Texas seat a “toss-up,” moved from “lean Republican.”
In Michigan, Trump said Republican Mike Rogers will “be a great senator.. good on the issues,” and called him “apple pie.” Cook also rates that seat a “toss up.”
Trump said Nebraska Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts was “struggling a little bit” against Independent Dan Osborn until a presidential campaign stop in early October. After that, Trump said, Ricketts went “through the roof.”
Trump called the US action in Venezuela earlier this year a success.
He said “total control” of the country lets America secure “millions of barrels of oil a week.”
On immigration, Trump said, “I closed the border,” and claimed there had been “zero illegal aliens in the last 18 months.” He accused former President Joe Biden of letting in millions of migrants, including convicted killers, and said his administration has “gotten almost all of the bad ones.”
Trump explained his campaign pace.
“I’m campaigning harder than I would campaign for myself because we have so many good people and they want to keep it going,” he said. “We have number one growth in the world.”
He cited Washington, DC, on crime.
“We have the lowest crime now,” Trump said, describing a capital that had been a “killing field” where “three people a week were being killed.” Of the city’s monuments, he said, “The place looked like hell. They’re gleaming now.”
Kudlow ended the call as the segment neared a commercial break.
“I got to let you go,” he said, then joked, “I’m going to get into trouble.” Trump replied, “Larry, we’re the hottest country anywhere in the world.”
Trump then told Kudlow, “You just got good ratings, so they’re not going to bother you.” Kudlow wished him safe travels and told him to “give ’em hell on the campaign trail.” Trump answered, “I’m proud of you,” and hung up. Kudlow told viewers the two are “old friends” and that he “loves talking to him.”
