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 predecessor’s long-awaited library and museum project, calling it “a disaster” and suggesting he could have done a better job. “If he wanted help, I’d give him help because I’m a really good builder—I build on time, on budget,” Trump said.According to USA Today, the Obama Presidential Center, a $830 million, 19-acre project located in Chicago’s 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 didn’t stop at construction costs. He criticized the foundation’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in its hiring practices, claiming that Obama “only wants DEI” and “woke people” 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 Trump’s leadership during his second term. In April, Obama called out the administration’s moves to defund colleges that support DEI programs or permit mask usage, labeling the actions as politically motivated and harmful. “Imagine if I had done any of this,” Obama told students at Hamilton College, also criticizing Trump’s expulsion of the Associated Press from official events.
While the two former presidents were seen briefly exchanging pleasantries earlier this year at President Jimmy Carter’s funeral, the political tension between them remains sharp. Obama has encouraged universities and law firms to resist the current administration’s policies, warning that they undermine basic democratic values.
Interestingly, despite his longstanding feud with Obama—including pushing the false “𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡er” theory over a decade ago—Trump has at times softened his tone. During the 2024 campaign, he called Obama a “nice gentleman” and even mused about how much he’d enjoy a head-to-head race. “I’d love that, boy, I’d love that,” he said when asked about running against Obama in an imaginary third-term election.
