US EditionTrump Criticizes Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, Citing Construction Concerns
- President Donald Trump sharply criticized the Obama Presidential Center's construction in Chicago during a May 2025 Oval Office meeting with Canada's prime minister.
- Trump attributed project delays and cost overruns to diversity-focused hiring and 'woke people,' while lawsuits over traffic, environment, and discrimination also affect progress.
- The Obama Foundation and Chicago labor leaders rejected Trump's claims, reporting ongoing work with union-trained construction crews and an aggressive schedule at Jackson Park.
- Originally estimated at $350 million with a 2021 completion, the center's cost has risen to nearly $1 billion with expected public opening in 2026 on a 19.3-acre privately funded campus.
- The center is positioned as a future economic engine for Chicago, featuring a gym, library, museum, and garden, despite ongoing disputes and political criticism.
21 Articles
21 Articles
Trump offers to help Obama with presidential library's 'disaster'
President Donald Trump on Tuesday offered to help out with the development of the Obama Presidential Center, which has been plagued by huge cost overruns and delays, with the project’s embrace of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies drawing significant attention recently.Trump, who reshaped city skylines with towering skyscrapers throughout his business career, linked DEI to the problems at the massive Chicago project, which has seen c…
Chicago labor union spars over Trump’s claims about Obama Presidential Center
Chicago labor leaders and the Obama Foundation are pushing back after President Donald Trump criticized the Obama Presidential Center during an unrelated appearance at the White House.
President Trump calls Chicago’s Obama Presidential Center “a disaster,” blames “woke” construction
President Trump claimed the center is "millions of dollars, like many, many — I mean, really, millions of dollars over budget," and said the problems were because President Obama "wanted to be very politically correct and he didn't use good, hard, tough, mean construction workers that I love."
The Independent
The Independent (US)Trump slams Obama for using ‘woke’ construction workers for his presidential library
Trump says Obama ‘didn't use good, hard, tough, mean construction workers that I love’
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