Barack Obama campaigns for Ohio Democrats and targets Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth

Former President Barack Obama campaigned in Cleveland, Ohio, on Saturday to support Democratic candidates ahead of the midterm elections. The Hill, ABC News Politics, and PHL17 reported that Obama appeared alongside Sherrod Brown, who is running for the United States Senate, and Amy Acton, who is running for governor. [1][2][4]

During his speech in Cleveland, Obama criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over his focus on soldiers' appearances and testosterone levels. The Hill, PHL17, and Yahoo reported that Obama joked about Hegseth spending time looking at himself in the mirror. [1][4][5]

ABC News Politics reported that Brown is attempting to unseat Republican Senator Jon Husted, while Acton is competing against Republican Vivek Ramaswamy. ABC News Politics and Newsweek noted that Obama is also scheduled to campaign in Michigan, as Democrats seek control of the United States Senate in highly competitive states. [2][3]

Obama served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017 after representing Illinois in the United States Senate. Hegseth, a United States Army veteran and former television personality, has served as the 29th United States secretary of defense since 2025. [7][8]