Updated October 26, 2026, 5:54 p.m. ET
Former President Barack Obama’s return to the campaign trail to criticize President Donald Trump ahead of the midterm elections came at the expense of an unlikely target: the Cheesecake Factory.
At an Oct. 24 rally in Michigan in support of Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, the former president said Trump’s renovation plans made the White House “look like Saddam Hussein opened a cheesecake factory.”
Obama referenced projects such as the controversial White House Ballroom and the Paved Rose Garden.
He compared the aesthetic to that of the national restaurant chain known for its unique eclectic decor like Egyptian columns, murals and hues of gold, brown and red.
Trump added gilded decor throughout the White House, notably with the maximalist furniture and exterior lettering of the Oval Office.
Here’s what Obama said — and how people, including the White House, are reacting to it.
What did Obama say about The Cheesecake Factory?
Obama said Trump’s White House renovation plans suggest the president is not focused on cutting costs for Americans.
“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but he’s very focused on home improvement. He should be on HGTV,” he said. “Guy is building a ballroom bigger than the White House, paved over the Rose Garden – paved over it – and installed a helicopter pad on the side lawn.”
He mentioned The Cheesecake Factory after saying there was “gold everywhere” around the White House.
“What’s going on with gold? I mean, it makes the White House look like Saddam Hussein opened a cheesecake factory,” Obama said. “It’s just gold everywhere. He’s clearly not focused on lowering prices for you.”
Watch the moment in the video at the top of this story.
White House responds to Obama’s Cheesecake Factory comment
Regarding Obama’s comments, White House spokesman Davis Ingle said in a USA TODAY statement: “Thanks to the Builder in Chief, no other president has done more to beautify our nation’s interior than President Trump.”
The statement called Obama “the most destructive president in history” while praising Trump’s efforts.
“From restoring our treasured monuments, which have suffered years of abuse and vandalism, to cleaning up our parks and the Reflecting Pool, President Trump’s bold vision aims to ensure that the People’s House and our Nation’s Capital will be properly glorified and remain in excellent condition for generations to come,” the statement said.
USA TODAY also reached out to The Cheesecake Factory for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Obama Cheesecake Factory comment escalates into affordability debate
While Obama’s comment about The Cheesecake Factory was apparently aimed at its decorating style, Trump’s allies piled in on affordability.
“Cheesecake Factory has good food and is a place Americans can afford,” conservative commentator Laura Loomer wrote on X.
U.S. Rep. Lance Gooden, R-Texas, also called The Cheesecake Factory “a great dinner for hard-working Americans” in an article on X.
Scott Jennings, another conservative commentator, criticized Obama in an article on
Other social media users came to the defense of the restaurant chain’s food.
“How out of touch must you be with the American working class if you rage against Cheesecake Factory? Have you eaten that brown bread? The cheesecake with the cherry pie filling poured on it? The avocado spring rolls?” wrote user X.
Katie Miller, wife of White House aide Stephen Miller, wrote on X: “Cheesecake Factory brown bread is the most elite of all breads.”
Meanwhile, others agreed with Obama.
“It’s true! Obama is not wrong. Trump turned the White House into a dictator’s version of the Cheesecake Factory during a mid-life crisis,” one user wrote on X.
“Cheesecake Factory interiors are famously over-the-top and garish,” wrote another. “‘Like a cheesecake factory designed by Saddam’ is actually a great description of what Trump did in the White House.”
Melina Khan is a national trends reporter for USA TODAY. Follow her on X @melinakh and Instagram @bymelinakhan.
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