Former President Barack Obama has re-emerged on the campaign trail to support Democratic candidates ahead of the U.S. midterm elections, aiming to energize the party and counter Republican efforts. Speaking at rallies in key battleground states including Michigan and Georgia, Obama delivered a series of pointed critiques of President Donald Trump’s administration, while also seeking to unite older and younger factions within the Democratic Party.

At a Detroit event supporting Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, Obama acknowledged El-Sayed’s critiques of some of his own presidential policies, using humor to bridge generational divides within the party. “Abdul didn’t agree with some things we wanted to do,” Obama said, adding that even his wife, Michelle Obama, often challenged his decisions. The former president’s ability to connect with voters through such remarks stood in contrast to Trump’s more traditional rally style, which has focused heavily on grievances in Republican strongholds.

Obama framed the midterms as a critical opportunity for Democrats to check Trump’s power. “This election is our last, best chance of at least reining him in,” he said during a Georgia rally, calling the vote a “circuit breaker” against what he described as the Trump administration’s “foolishness.” His speeches repeatedly criticized Trump’s foreign policy, especially in the Middle East, and mocked aspects of the president’s personal style and administration, notably an incident in which Obama compared Trump’s White House renovations to a Cheesecake Factory opened by Saddam Hussein. The remark sparked a wave of backlash from right-wing media and Trump himself, who dismissed the comments as elitist and defended his administration’s record.

Democratic strategists viewed Obama’s late-stage involvement as a strategic move designed to bolster turnout—especially among young and Black voters—without overshadowing new candidates. David Litt, a former Obama speechwriter, highlighted Obama’s unique ability to command attention and unsettle the current president, noting that Trump remains preoccupied with responding to Obama’s barbs.

While Obama continues to be a powerful draw for many Democrats, opinions about his legacy within the party remain mixed. Progressive activists who rose to prominence during Bernie Sanders’ campaigns see the former president’s record as marked by cautious compromises and missed opportunities, pointing to his administration’s military expansions and economic policies that critics say favored wealth concentration. Norman Solomon, a progressive activist, cited these factors alongside Obama’s post-presidency lifestyle as points of contention for some on the left.

Nonetheless, many progressives welcome Obama’s active role in the midterms, interpreting it as recognition of the party’s leftward shift and the growing influence of progressive movements. Joseph Geevarghese, executive director of a progressive group born from Sanders’ 2016 campaign, argued that Obama’s campaigning signals an embrace of progressive priorities and helps protect minority candidates like El-Sayed from xenophobic attacks.

As the midterms approach, Democrats have also mobilized other prominent figures, including former Vice President Kamala Harris and ex-President Bill Clinton. Obama’s engagement appears to embody both a strategic effort to unite the Democratic coalition and a reflection of his enduring relevance in American politics, even as the party increasingly grapples with differing visions for its future direction.