President Donald Trump sharply criticized former President Barack Obama as a “terrible” leader during a roughly hour-long address at the National Republican Congressional Committee’s annual fundraising dinner in Washington, D.C., on March 25. However, Trump stopped short of naming Obama the worst president in U.S. history, instead reserving that distinction for his immediate predecessor, Joe Biden.
The event, which raised a record $37 million, featured Trump receiving the inaugural “America First Award” from House Speaker Mike Johnson. In his acceptance remarks, Trump touched on a range of topics, including calls for Republican unity ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.
Facing what he described as challenges in the polls, Trump urged party members to stay cohesive. “We will make America strong again… proud again… safe again—and most importantly, great again,” he declared, encouraging Republicans to secure victories in the midterms.
Trump’s critique of past Democratic presidents came after accepting the award. He portrayed Obama as highly divisive, accusing him of deepening national divisions and striking a flawed nuclear agreement with Iran. According to Trump, the deal effectively paved the way for Iran to advance its nuclear program. He claimed his own administration swiftly terminated the agreement upon taking office.
In contrast, Trump was unequivocal about Biden, calling him “the worst president in history” and a “lousy” leader overall in comparison. He painted Obama as ineffective and damaging, while elevating Biden’s tenure as uniquely disastrous.
Representatives for both Obama and Biden have not issued responses to Trump’s latest comments.
Earlier in the speech, Trump addressed ongoing tensions in the Middle East, referencing recent joint U.S.-Israel military actions against Iran. He asserted that Iranian leaders are “eager to make a deal” but are reluctant to admit it due to fears of backlash both from their own population and from international actors.
“Iran wants to make a deal badly,” Trump stated, suggesting internal and external pressures were holding them back. However, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf quickly pushed back, dismissing the claims as “fake news.” Ghalibaf argued that such reports were designed to manipulate financial and oil markets while distracting from difficulties facing the United States and Israel.
The speech highlighted Trump’s signature combative style, blending campaign-style rallying cries with pointed attacks on political opponents as he sought to energize Republican supporters heading into a critical election cycle.
