Obama Says Trump's Iran War Cost $2T, Backs Acton in Ohio

Former President Barack Obama told voters in Ohio on Saturday that the United States spent $2 trillion on a war with Iran that was not requested by the public. Speaking to a crowd supporting Democratic candidates in the state, Obama identified the conflict as a central failure of the current administration.

The former president argued that President Donald Trump made a series of poor decisions during his second term, with the launch of the US-Israel war on Iran being the most consequential. Obama described the leadership style of the current White House as one of chaos, cruelty, and incompetence. He urged attendees to use the upcoming midterm elections to send a message that the era of such governance has ended.

Obama also addressed the heated gubernatorial race between Democratic candidate Amy Acton and Republican Vivek Ramaswamy. Tensions in this contest escalated recently after Ramaswamy released an attack advertisement featuring Acton's mother, Donna Arthur. In the ad, Arthur disputes Acton's previous accounts of childhood homelessness and sexual abuse by her stepfather, urging voters to reject her candidacy.

Acton stated she has not seen her mother since 1978. Her brother supported her account of the abuse, noting that the stepfather, who died in 2004, had been charged with rape. Obama stood by Acton, saying she spoke movingly about her painful experiences with abuse, neglect, and homelessness. He criticized the standards of behavior in the race, saying there seemed to be no line Ramaswamy would not cross.

Sharing the stage with Acton and former Senator Sherrod Brown, Obama highlighted the stakes of the election. Brown is seeking to unseat incumbent Republican Senator Jon Husted in a bid to return to Congress. Current polls show Democrats holding a slight lead in both the governor's race and the Senate contest, though results are expected to be close.