Trump calls Obama Presidential Center 'a disaster', claims it was built by 'woke' workers in wild rant

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump went on a bizarre rant criticizing an undertaking by former President Barack Obama while addressing reporters at the Oval Office on Tuesday, May 6, reported the Daily Beast.

The Obama Presidential Center is an undertaking of the Obama Foundation, which includes a library, a museum, auditorium, and other components. The project broke ground in Chicago in September 2021, and after facing multiple delays due to legal issues, the main building is expected to be open to the public in spring 2026.

Relying on private funding, the project was estimated to cost $350 million in 2018. The figure has since ballooned to over $800 million.

Donald Trump's comments on upcoming Obama Presidential Center

Trump addressed reporters in the Oval Office on Tuesday during his meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. The incumbent was complaining against DEI legislations passed under his predecessor, Joe Biden, before calling out Obama for employing "woke" workers.

"He’s building his library in Chicago. It’s a disaster,” Trump said of Obama. "He said something to the effect, ‘I only want DEI. I only want woke. He wants woke people to build it. Well, he got woke.”

Claiming that the construction in Chicago had "stopped", the 78-year-old commander-in-chief continued, "It’s a disaster, and I don’t like that happening. I don’t like that happening, because it’s – I think – it’s bad for the presidency that a thing like that should happen."

"He’s got a library that’s a disaster, and he wants to be very politically correct, and he didn’t use good, hard, tough, mean construction workers that I love love, Marco," Trump directed his speech at his Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was sitting nearby.

"I love construction workers, but he didn’t want construction workers. He wanted people that, like, never did it before, and he got a disaster on his hands, like millions of dollars, many, many, I mean really, many millions of dollars over budget," Trump went on, adding that he would "love" to help Obama with professional reccomendations to get the job done.

The Obama Foundation pushed back with a statement that read, "Everyone who sees the Obama Presidential Center is blown away by its beauty, scale and the way it will be an economic engine for Chicago and a beacon of hope for the world."

“We look forward to welcoming all visitors to the 19.3-acre campus next spring, to experience a presidential center that not only honors the Obamas’ legacy but also lifts up the next generation of leaders,” added spokesperson Emily Bittner.

Internet trolls Donald Trump over his rant about Obama Presidential Center

Netizens reacting to Trump's rant trolled him on the social media platform X. The following tweets demonstrate their takes.

"Trump is blaming construction delays on woke now. What won’t they blame it on?" wrote a user.

"Trump has never paid a construction worker in his life," jibed another.

"His idea of building on budget is not paying contractors after they do the work," chided a third.

"Does he think there is some kind of wokeness meter that all potential employees and contractors need to walk through to get the job?" mocked a fourth.

"He tried to trash as many people as he could during this press conference," quipped a fifth.

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