Leave the cheesecake factory out of this

Obama targets Trump’s priorities

At a campaign appearance in Michigan over the weekend, former President Barack Obama criticized Donald Trump’s attention to renovations and interior design. He cited a planned ballroom, changes to the Rose Garden and a helicopter pad on the South Lawn.

Obama compared the White House’s gold décor to a Cheesecake Factory opened by Saddam Hussein. The joke drew laughter and was aimed at Trump’s focus on remodeling, rather than what Obama described as more important responsibilities.

Trump answers the joke

On Monday, Trump responded to Obama’s remarks during a seven-minute question-and-answer session with White House reporters. He spent more than half of the session addressing the joke before departing for Mississippi.

At a rally for Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, Trump devoted another six minutes to the criticism. He called Obama “a stupid person” and “a lousy president,” and said Obama did not like businesses such as the Cheesecake Factory.

Renovations remain in focus

Trump said he had spent “peanuts” on White House renovations, despite roughly $1 billion in investments. He also praised the “finest artisans” who worked on the mansion and said they had made it “beautiful.” The response kept attention on the renovations Obama had mocked. The article’s analysis argues that Trump’s defense ended up reinforcing Obama’s point about his focus on vanity projects.