Obama mocks Trump for 'mobilizing whole government' to respond to his Cheesecake Factory joke: 'He was very upset'

Former President Barack Obama took the stage in Georgia to campaign for Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff, with a fresh attack against President Donald Trump.

Obama saved his biggest comedic lines for the White House's reaction to his earlier critiques, escalating a dig where he compared the White House renovations to Saddam Hussein opening a Cheesecake Factory.

'The President wasn't even mad about the Saddam Hussein comparison,' Obama observed. 'That part didn't bother him - but he was very upset about the Cheesecake Factory part.'

Obama claimed he 'mobilized' the whole government over the joke, and continued to describe the response from the administration following the remarks.

'The White House even called the Secretary of the Treasury. This is the man who is in charge of the economy, the person who's supposed to be figuring out how to make your life more affordable, the guy who's supposed to be figuring out how to lower inflation and reduce interest rates,' Obama said.

'They told him he should hold a press conference in front of the Cheesecake Factory!'

Obama also made sharp digs at Trump's cabinet secretaries. Specifically, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

'The defense secretary is laser-focused on very important matters like the jawline and testosterone levels of our troops, and live streaming executions because that's how he thinks you cultivate that manly warrior spirit,' Obama remarked.

Opening his critiques, Obama once again poked fun at Trump's extensive remodeling projects at the White House.

'That guy is building a ballroom that is bigger than the White House. He's paved over the rose garden. Put a helicopter pad on the south lawn, and there is gold everywhere. Take a picture. So much gold,' Obama said to roaring laughter.

Former President Barack Obama took the stage in Georgia to campaign for Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff, with a fresh attack against President Donald Trump

Supporters and rally attendees arrive at The Arena at Southlake for the Democratic Party's 'United for Georgia' campaign rally in Morrow, Georgia

The former President's visit aims to rally support for Sen. Jon Ossoff, who is seeking reelection against Republican Rep. Mike Collins, and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms, who is running against Republican Rick Jackson

Pausing for emphasis, Obama assured the audience he wasn't exaggerating the details.

'I'm not making this up,' Obama continued. 'He, the President of the United States, is spending time super-gluing gold medallions to the mantle in the Oval Office.'

Obama, often called the Democratic Party's 'closer,' headlined the rally in Atlanta to boost key candidates ahead of the Nov. 3 election.

During a Saturday campaign appearance for Democrats in Ohio, Obama made a similar line of jokes at his successor's penchant for renovation projects, remarking that Trump 'should be on HGTV.'

Taking a now infamous jab at the administration's decor, Obama said, 'He's got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory,' a remark delivered despite pushback over the design of his own presidential library in South Side Chicago.

Hitting back on Monday before departing Joint Base Andrews for a campaign event in Mississippi, President Trump insisted his predecessor failed to properly maintain the executive residence, declaring, 'For you to say it's a Cheesecake Factory, that just shows why you were a lousy president.'

Dismissing Obama's critique, Trump asserted that his predecessor simply does not understand because he is not a 'smart guy.'

'He's not smart at all because of the way he ran the country. Only a stupid person would run the country like that,' Trump said.

'We have to explain that to Obama because he doesn't understand it because he's not a smart guy,' continuing that Obama consistently overlooked 'dirt and filth' and walls that had not 'been cleaned for years.'

During a Saturday campaign appearance for Democrats in Ohio, Obama poked fun at his successor's passion for building projects, remarking that Trump 'should be on HGTV'

Hitting back at Barack Obama's weekend gibe comparing the refurbished White House to a chain restaurant, President Donald Trump insisted Monday that his predecessor failed to properly maintain the historic executive residence

'Guys like Obama don't see it... He doesn't see broken ornaments on a building,' Trump argued while defending his updates to the historic residence.

Firmly standing by his work, the president concluded, 'I've taken care of the White House. I fixed it with the finest artisans in the world,' before adding, 'We have to explain to Obama that the White House is a symbol of America, and it has to be maintained properly.'

Obama's appearance highlights a flurry of political stops in Georgia.

Trump recently held campaign events in Dalton on Oct. 16 and Perry on Oct. 24.

Meanwhile, former Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to visit the state later this week, with plans to attend the Fulton County Democratic Party's annual gala on Friday.

A new Reuters/Ipsos poll finished on October 26 found that Trump's approval rating is at just 32 percent, with 66 percent of voters disapproving.

Democrats also led Republicans 53 to 44 percent among likely voters on the generic congressional ballot, after undecided voters' preferences were accounted for.

A majority of respondents claimed living costs were a big issue for them.

When actor and singer Sebastian Croft was named as part of this year's star–studded Celebrity Traitors line–up, fans could be forgiven for underestimating him. After all, most had no idea who he was.

Alongside the likes of Richard E Grant, Jerry Hall and Michael Sheen, the 24–year–old – who had a minor role in Game Of Thrones, but found fame in Netflix hit Heartstopper – was expected, perhaps, to remain in their shadows.

But Friday's final put a firm end to that as he rumbled the remaining Traitors and took the crown with fellow Faithful Romesh Ranganathan.

Describing his victory as 'just incredible', Bash said: 'This might actually be the best day of my life.'

When it comes to his career, that may well prove to be true. But Bash has been quietly carving out a showbusiness career, having attended acting academies since he was seven.

When he was a teenager, and already starring in the West End, his parents were so determined he would be a star they moved to a flat in Covent Garden so the theatre world was on his doorstep.

Bash's mother Doulla – who stood as a Green party candidate in Kensington and Chelsea in May's local elections, winning just 346 votes – said: 'We joke that from our flat it is quicker for us to go home in the interval to use the loos, than stand in a queue at the theatre.'

Bash's West End stage debut was in 2010 in Sam Mendes' production of Oliver! at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, and a year later he was cast as Gavroche in Les Miserables.

Actor Sebastian 'Bash' Croft, 24, has emerged as the breakout star of The Celebrity Traitors after winning the BBC competition alongside comedian Romesh Ranganathan

Bash’s mother Doulla stood as a Green party candidate in Kensington and Chelsea in May’s local elections, winning just 346 votes

Bash attended St Edward’s boarding school in Oxford. Pictured is St. Edward's School Woodstock Road, Oxford

Those who know Bash recall a comfortable upbringing. His father John is co–founder of Elevate, one of the leading innovators in the legal services industry, which generates about £100million in annual revenue.

Bash attended St Edward's boarding school in Oxford – where fees cost up to £62,000 a year – after leaving the nearby Dragon's independent school.

It means his £41,500 share of the Traitors prize pot, which will be donated to charity Choose Love, which supports LGBT refugees around the world, is rather small change.

But it is a cause close to his heart. He experienced his fair share of turmoil at St Edward's – in particular, after he was outed by a fellow student, who had also been his secret boyfriend. It led to him leaving the school at 16.

He said in an interview: 'I don't blame the other boy who did it, because he was obviously just also trying to navigate the fact that he was getting chipped for being gay. But it was a really lonely and difficult time in my life.'

He did his A–levels at the £35,000–a–year Mander Portman Woodward, a sixth–form college in Kensington.

After leaving school, Bash won the role of young Eddard Stark (portrayed by Sean Bean as an adult) in the sixth series of the HBO hit Game Of Thrones. His film debut came in the adaptation of Stephen Fry's novel The Hippopotamus, and he appeared in Horrible Histories: The Movie.

But his most prominent role has been as Ben Hope in the 2022 Netflix series Heartstopper, a coming–of–age drama about two teenage boys who fall in love.

Bash has kept his own love life out of the spotlight, but in recent weeks it has emerged that he dated his Heartstopper co–star Joe Locke. He is now single and focusing on a variety of projects. He releases his debut EP, The Great Forever, this month, while a weekly podcast, The Sunday Scaries With Bash Croft, starts today.

And armed with his friendship with the BBC's golden boy Ranganathan – along with the star–strewn cast of Celebrity Traitors – the opportunities are unlikely to dry up anytime soon.