Tehran has "veto power" over Strait of Hormuz: Obama

TEHRAN — Former US President Barack Obama has criticized President Donald Trump over the war against Iran, rising consumer prices, and chaos and corruption within his administration. Speaking to crowds in Ohio on Saturday, Obama described the upcoming elections as a crucial opportunity for voters to challenge Trump's policies and curb his administration's actions. “This election is our last best chance to at least rein in some of the foolishness of this administration,” he said.

The midterm elections will determine control of the US Congress for the remainder of Trump's term, with the outcome set to influence his administration's ability to advance its domestic and foreign policy agenda. During campaign appearances in Ohio and Michigan, Obama acknowledged that economic concerns and inflation in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic had contributed to Democratic losses in the 2024 elections. However, he argued that Trump had failed to deliver on his promises to ease the financial pressures facing American households.

“If you thought everything was too expensive before ‘you know who,’ everything is more expensive now,” Obama said, referring to Trump without mentioning him by name. Obama told Democrat supporters the war with Iran had given Tehran "veto power" over the Strait of Hormuz. Obama also criticized the Trump administration's handling of the war against Iran, arguing that the conflict had strengthened Tehran's leverage over the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which a significant share of the world's energy supplies passes.

The war has added to volatility in global oil markets and intensified pressure on fuel prices, raising questions about Trump's economic pledges as American consumers face higher costs. Trump has acknowledged that oil prices remain “temporarily high” but has maintained that they will eventually decline. The economic consequences of the war, particularly rising energy costs, have become a major issue in the run-up to the midterm elections, providing Democrats with an opportunity to challenge the administration's economic record and its handling of foreign policy.

Beyond foreign policy and the economy, Obama took aim at Trump's renovations to the White House, using the changes to ridicule the president's personal style. “What's with all the gold? He's got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened up a Cheesecake Factory,” Obama said. The November 3 elections are shaping up as a significant test of public confidence in Trump's leadership, with the economic impact of the war and the administration's broader policy choices emerging as key issues in the campaign.