Former United States President Barack Obama has criticised President Donald Trump’s handling of the war in Iran and the rising cost of living, calling on voters to use the forthcoming midterm elections to hold his administration accountable.

Obama made the remarks on Saturday during campaign rallies in Ohio and Michigan, where he supported Democratic candidates ahead of the November 3 elections, which will determine control of the US Congress for the remainder of Trump’s presidential term.

Addressing supporters in Ohio, Obama described the elections as an opportunity to restrain what he considered excessive actions by the Trump administration.

“This election is our last best chance to at least rein in some of the foolishness of this administration,” he said.

The former president also challenged the administration’s economic record, arguing that its policies had failed to ease the financial pressure facing American households.

He noted that inflation and the rising cost of living had contributed to voters turning away from the Democratic Party during the 2024 presidential election, but maintained that conditions had not improved under Trump.

“If you thought everything was too expensive before ‘you know who’, everything is more expensive now,” Obama said, referring to Trump without mentioning his name.

Obama also criticised the administration’s military campaign against Iran, questioning whether it had achieved its stated objectives and arguing that it had created additional security and economic challenges.

He recalled the 2015 nuclear agreement negotiated during his presidency, which imposed restrictions on Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief, and criticised Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the agreement in 2018.

Obama argued that diplomatic engagement had offered a way to address concerns over Iran’s nuclear ambitions without resorting to military action.

He further contended that the conflict had strengthened Tehran’s leverage over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for international oil and gas shipments, contributing to higher energy prices.

The former president said the conflict had also exposed American forces and regional partners to further security risks.

During the Ohio rally, Obama campaigned for former senator Sherrod Brown, who is seeking to unseat Republican Senator Jon Husted, and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton, who is challenging Republican Vivek Ramaswamy.

He also criticised a campaign advertisement featuring Acton’s estranged mother, arguing that the use of personal family issues in political advertising crossed acceptable boundaries.

In Michigan, Obama rallied behind Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed and encouraged supporters to participate in the elections, with early voting already under way.

Meanwhile, Trump defended his administration’s economic, immigration and trade policies during a campaign rally in Georgia, describing the country as entering a period of renewed prosperity.

He acknowledged that oil prices remained high but expressed confidence that fuel costs would decline. Trump also defended his tariff policies and criticised Democrats over immigration.

The midterm elections are expected to shape the administration’s ability to advance its legislative agenda, as Democrats seek to regain control of one or both chambers of Congress.

Obama’s campaign appearances reflect the Democratic Party’s efforts to mobilise voters around the economy, the Iran conflict and concerns about the administration’s conduct, while Republicans continue to promote Trump’s economic and immigration agenda.