Obama Blames Trump’s Tariffs and Iran War for Rising Inflation

WASHINGTON — Former US President Barack Obama has blamed President Donald Trump’s war with Iran, tariff policies, and immigration crackdown for rising living costs, urging voters to use the November 3 midterm elections as a “circuit breaker” against the administration.
Speaking at a rally in Cleveland, Ohio, in support of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton and Senate candidate Sherrod Brown, Obama said the administration’s actions were directly responsible for higher prices. He argued that tariffs had increased the cost of imported goods, while the Iran conflict had driven up oil and diesel prices.
On Iran, Obama said the country did not have nuclear weapons because his administration negotiated the 2015 nuclear agreement, which restricted Tehran’s nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. “I didn’t have to fire a missile to do it. I just had to engage in diplomacy,” he said.
Obama accused Trump of withdrawing from the agreement and then launching an “unnecessary war” that neither Americans demanded nor voted for. He said the conflict had led to attacks on US allies and bases, American casualties, and disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz that raised global oil prices.
The rally was held at the Cleveland Public Auditorium as part of Democratic campaigning ahead of the midterm elections, with Obama urging supporters to vote for Acton and Brown.