Trump mocks Barack Obama presidential library, says ‘He needs help’ amid online trolls

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump took a swipe at former President Barack Obama’s long-delayed presidential library on Tuesday, October 21, according to The Daily Caller.

Trump said, “It’s not too pretty,” adding, “He needs help,” taking a dig at Obama. His remarks came after the project faced trolling on social media.

The president also claimed that Obama’s presidential library had “run out of money.'

Donald Trump calls Barack Obama presidential library ‘not pretty’ at press event

At the Oval press event, Donald Trump was asked about Obama’s presidential library by Daily Caller reporter Reagan Reese. He replied, “It’s not too pretty. No, but it’s closed, it’s stopped. They ran out of money.”

Trump added, “He’s building a library slash museum … usually they call it a library and museum. That’s the official name. And they’re stuck. He wanted only women in DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) to build it. That’s what they got.” These comments came after a question about his own ballroom.

The criticism follows similar digs from Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who shared a video mocking the design, captioning, “Locating the Death Star in Chicago was a bold move.”

This isn’t the first time Trump criticized the project. In May 2025, he called the center “a disaster,” blaming DEI-focused contractors for cost overruns, according to CBS News. 

“I mean look, President Obama—and if he wanted help, I'd give him help because I build on time and on budget—he's building his presidential library in Chicago. It's a disaster,” Trump said at the time. “He wants woke people to build it. Well, he got woke people, and they have massive cost overruns. The job is stopped. I don't know, it's a disaster.” No reaction has come yet from Obama. 

Barack Obama presidential library design draws social media reactions

"Obama’s Presidential Library was supposed to be a national landmark - a tribute to “hope and change.” But what’s rising in Chicago looks more like a **concrete fortress** than a library," said one user.

"Obama's $1 Billion Presidential Library Looks Like A Tower Of Doom," comments another user. 

"This says everything you need to know about Chicago. Obama's Presidential Library is a fortress. It even has gun ports," comments someone else.

"Obama's Aegis Ashore "Presidential Library". Prepping for our next grand cycle of destruction in plain sight. Folks are stumped," another user shares, 

"Good thing Obama didn’t do any construction at the White House. Here’s his library. Two years late and a billion dollars . Grain deliveries begin tomorrow. Loading dock," someone else shares.

Barack Obama presidential library scheduled to open in 2026

Construction of Barack Obama’s presidential library began in 2021 on Chicago’s South Side, covering 19 acres in Jackson Park, according to The Daily Caller. The project has faced lawsuits and local opposition amid rising housing costs.

The budget increased from about $300 million initially to over $850 million. When first revealed in 2017, the plan carried a $500 million budget, which rose to $700 million by 2021 due to construction costs.

The center, scheduled to open in spring 2026, will feature a Chicago Public Library branch, a podcast studio, a vegetable garden, and an open field called the Great Lawn for outdoor activities. Unlike other presidential libraries, it will be managed by the Obama Foundation, with the National Archives providing fully digitized records for exhibits, according to Seattle Medium.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.