Obama calls Iran conflict $2 trillion mistake at Ohio rally

Former President Barack Obama told a crowd in Ohio on Saturday that the United States and Israel have spent two trillion dollars on an unnecessary war with Iran. He framed the conflict as a defining error of President Donald Trump’s second term and used the figure to rally support for Democratic candidates in the state’s upcoming midterm elections.

Obama argued that the administration made a series of poor choices, with the decision to start the war being the most impactful. He described the past two years as a period of chaos and incompetence that the country has not seen in the modern era. The former president urged voters to reject the Republican administration’s record by casting their ballots against the current leadership.

The speech also addressed a contentious attack advertisement in Ohio’s gubernatorial race. The ad features Donna Arthur, the mother of Democratic candidate Amy Acton, who disputes Acton’s account of a childhood involving homelessness and sexual abuse by her stepfather. Acton stated she has not seen her mother since 1978, while her brother supported her account of the abuse. The stepfather was charged with rape before his death in 2004.

Obama defended Acton, noting that she spoke movingly about her painful childhood and the neglect she endured. He criticized Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy for running the ad, suggesting that political standards have dropped to a low level. The former president stood on stage with Acton and former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown, who is seeking a comeback against incumbent Republican Senator Jon Husted.

Current polls indicate that Democrats hold a slight lead in both the governor’s and the Senate races in Ohio. However, officials expect the final results to be close as the election approaches.