Obama urges accountability at rallies ahead of midterms

Former President Barack Obama urged voters at campaign rallies in Cleveland and Detroit to use the November 3 midterm elections to hold President Donald Trump’s administration accountable, while criticizing Trump’s conduct, Iran policy and White House renovations. Speaking in Michigan in support of Democratic Senate candidate Abdul ElSayed, Obama described the vote as a “circuit breaker” that could rein in the administration. He called on voters to bring greater accountability to government. The election will help determine control of Congress, where the balance of power is closely contested. Obama accused Trump of using the presidency for personal gain and criticized Republicans for supporting him. Those remarks were allegations made during the campaign; the reporting did not provide independent evidence establishing them. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Obama’s remarks. An August Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 63% of Americans believed Trump and his family had inappropriately profited from cryptocurrency since his return to the White House in 2025. The poll also found that 69% believed Trump’s policy decisions were influenced by private...