Donald Trump pushes back after Barack Obama mocks his White House makeover

Donald Trump spent part of a campaign rally defending his work on the White House after Barack Obama poked fun at the building’s newly decorated Oval Office. Speaking in Corinth, Mississippi, Trump rejected the suggestion that he had devoted too much attention to renovations and described the work as something he enjoys. Obama had made the comparison at a Democratic campaign appearance in Ohio, joking that the gold-coloured details in the Oval Office resembled a lavish cheesecake factory. He also quipped that Trump belonged on HGTV, the home-improvement television network. The remarks landed amid wider criticism of the president’s focus on remaking the White House and parts of Washington. Trump responded by defending the property’s condition and listing repairs he said were needed, including work to exterior plaster, a cracked column, missing ornamentation and broken tile. He also pointed to a heliport and a ballroom project. “I fix things very good, very beautifully,” he said, adding that the work relaxes him. He also defended the Cheesecake Factory, describing it as a successful company, and argued that the White House should be kept in excellent condition because it represents the country. Trump said he first noticed problems with the building during a visit about 20 years ago. The source notes, however, that there is no record of a White House visit by Trump between 1987 and 2016. The dispute has become part of a broader argument over how much attention Trump gives to renovation projects. A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll cited in the report found 59% of respondents thought he was spending too much time on them. Twenty-seven per cent said the amount was right, while 11% believed he should spend more time on the work. Trump said he would have carried out the renovations during his first term if he had had the time, while also insisting the projects had not taken time away from his duties. His defence followed Obama’s remarks and revived the pair’s long-running political rivalry.