Key facts
- Obama mocked Trump's White House renovations, comparing them to a "Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory."
- Trump accused Obama of being elitist for mocking the restaurant chain.
- US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent ate at the Cheesecake Factory and commented on the exchange.
Former President Barack Obama and President Donald Trump engaged in a public exchange over the Cheesecake Factory restaurant chain in the final days before the midterm elections. The dispute began when Obama, campaigning in Ohio on October 24, likened Trump's White House renovations to a "Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory." Trump responded this week during campaign rallies in Texas and Mississippi, accusing Obama of elitism and defending both his renovations and the restaurant. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also weighed in, eating at the restaurant and commenting on the exchange. The incident is the latest flare-up in the ongoing rivalry between the two political figures.