President Trump calls Chicago’s Obama Presidential Center “a disaster,” blames “woke” construction

President Trump took shots at former President Barack Obama’s Presidential Center in Chicago while meeting with new Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney Tuesday, calling it “a disaster” and blaming “woke” construction workers.

Most of the Oval Office meeting focused on tariffs and the relationship between Canada and the U.S., with Carney emphatically telling Mr. Trump that Canada is “not for sale” and “won’t be for sale, ever,” while Mr. Trump called the border between the U.S. and Canada “artificial” and again raised the idea of Canada joining the U.S. 

But part way through the meeting, the president digressed to talk about the Obama Presidential Library, which is being built in Chicago’s Jackson Park. In his comments, he derided the project and blamed “DEI” and “woke” for it being “a disaster.”

“I mean look, President Obama — and if he wanted help, I’d give him help because I build on time and on budget — he’s building his presidential library in Chicago. It’s a disaster,” Mr. Trump said. “And he said something to the effect, ‘I only want DEI, I only want woke.’ He wants woke people to build it. Well, he got woke people and they have massive cost overruns, the job is stopped. I don’t know, it’s a disaster.”

According to updates posted on the Obama Foundation website, work has continued to close the exterior of building and install glass and granite finishing, and instal interior windows on the museum levels. The foundation said insulation has also been installed in several other buildings at the complex.

However, Mr. 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 Pres. Obama “wanted to be very politically correct and he didn’t use good, hard, tough, mean construction workers that I love.”

“He wanted people that, like, never did it before and he’s got a disaster on his hands,” he said.

A spokesperson for the Obama Foundation said the president’s comments were not based in fact and said they believe he was referencing “a relatively common dispute between two subcontractors over work that has already been completed.”

“Everyone who sees the Obama Presidential Center is blown away by its beauty, scale and the way it will be an economic engine for Chicago and a beacon of hope for the world,” the foundation said in a statement. “We look forward to welcoming all visitors to the 19.3-acre campus next spring, to experience a presidential center that not only honors the Obamas’ legacy but also lifts up the next generation of leaders.”

The center’s website touts their use of union labor to build the center, which is privately funded and does not use taxpayer dollars. Construction has been ongoing throughout the often-harsh Chicago winter, and the foundation continues to expect that the Obama Presidential Center will open to the public in 2026.

The Obama Presidential Center is a large complex on the city’s South Side that includes a fruit and vegetable garden, athletic and events facility, a museum, an auditorium, a branch of the Chicago Public Library and more. 

Sara Tenenbaum

Sara Tenenbaum is the Senior Digital Producer for CBS News Chicago covering breaking, local and community news in Chicago. She previously worked as a digital producer and senior digital producer for ABC7 Chicago.