Obama: Iran war cost Ohio $2 trillion

Former President Barack Obama took the stage in Ohio on Saturday to rally support for Democratic candidates ahead of the midterm elections. He used the platform to deliver a sharp critique of President Donald Trump's second term, focusing on foreign policy and domestic governance.

Obama identified the US-Israel war on Iran as a central failure of the current administration. He described the conflict as unnecessary and a decision that no one requested. The former president estimated the total cost of the war at $2 trillion over a two-year period. He framed this financial burden as part of a wider pattern of chaos and incompetence that voters now have the chance to correct.

The former president also addressed a contentious issue in Ohio's gubernatorial race involving Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and Democrat Amy Acton. An attack advertisement aired recently featuring Donna Arthur, Acton's mother, who disputes her daughter's account of childhood homelessness and sexual abuse by a stepfather. Arthur urged voters to withhold their support for Acton based on these claims. Acton has stated she has not seen her mother since 1978, while her brother has corroborated the abuse allegations. The stepfather, who died in 2004, had been charged with rape.

Obama sided with Acton, noting that she spoke movingly about her experiences with abuse and neglect. He expressed frustration with the standards of political behavior, stating that Ramaswamy seemed willing to cross any line to win. The rally featured other key figures, including Sherrod Brown, who is seeking to unseat incumbent Republican Senator Jon Husted. Current polls show Democrats holding a slight lead in both the gubernatorial and senatorial races, though the margins are expected to be narrow.