Donald Trump has unleashed a blistering attack on former President Barack Obama after a new nationwide poll revealed who Americans would rather see back in the White House — and the results have clearly struck a nerve. The survey, conducted by Pew Research, found that a slim majority of voters said they’d prefer Obama’s leadership to Trump’s, reigniting one of the most bitter rivalries in modern U.S. politics.
The poll showed that 52% of Americans would rather have Obama as president if given the choice between the two, compared to 46% who said Trump. Though the margin was small, it was enough to send Trump into a late-night tirade on Truth Social, where he accused Obama of “destroying America’s greatness” and called the poll “a joke conducted by corrupt left-wing losers.”
“Obama was a disaster — the worst in history,” Trump wrote. “He divided our country, weakened our military, and lied about everything. People know it, and history will show it.”
“Trump calls Obama ‘the biggest fraud ever to occupy the White House’ after new poll.” @ABCPolitics
Trump’s response sparked immediate outrage — and amusement — online. Within hours, #TrumpMeltdown began trending across X, with users mocking his obsession with Obama and his refusal to accept unflattering data. “He’s been out of office for 8 years, and Trump’s still campaigning against him,” one viral post read. “It’s like he’s haunted by Obama’s ghost.”
But behind the fury, Trump’s team sees danger. Several of his aides privately admitted to The New York Times that the numbers reflect a growing perception among independents that Obama’s presidency, despite its controversies, represents a more stable and empathetic era compared to Trump’s turbulent term. “This poll terrifies him,” one former adviser said. “He needs to be the most loved, the most remembered — and Obama keeps taking that away from him.”
Obama, meanwhile, has not publicly responded to Trump’s comments, but his inner circle reportedly laughed off the remarks. One longtime associate told Politico that the former president “hasn’t given Trump a second thought since 2017” and views the feud as “a one-man performance of insecurity.”
Still, Trump’s words carried a venom that even his supporters recognized. “Obama’s legacy is one of division, corruption, and weakness,” Trump continued in his post. “My legacy is strength, prosperity, and America First — and we’re going to prove it again soon.”
“Trump rants that Obama ‘ruined everything’ after new popularity poll gives his rival a 6-point edge.” @CNNPolitics
Political analysts say Trump’s obsession with Obama dates back to his earliest days in politics, when he fueled the baseless “birther” conspiracy theory claiming Obama was not born in the United States. The feud only escalated after Obama publicly mocked Trump during the 2011 White House Correspondents’ Dinner — an event many believe motivated Trump’s presidential ambitions. “He’s been trying to get even ever since,” said Guardian columnist Dana Milbank. “Every poll like this just reopens that old wound.”
According to the new survey, the nostalgia for Obama’s presidency cuts across generational lines. Among voters under 35, Obama leads Trump by more than 30 points, while Trump holds an advantage with voters over 60. The divide reflects deep cultural differences that have come to define America’s post-Trump landscape — one that still feels split between two very different visions of the country.
“Obama represents dignity and calm,” said political scientist Dr. Steven Harper. “Trump represents anger and disruption. And Americans are still deciding which one they want more.”
In his post, Trump also took aim at what he called “fake polls” and “rigged media narratives,” insisting that “the real numbers” favor him. His campaign later released an internal survey claiming Trump leads Obama in “favorability among working-class voters.” That claim has not been independently verified.
“He can’t let it go,” MSNBC host Joy Reid said during her segment. “Obama lives rent-free in Trump’s head — and this poll just raised the rent.”
“Obama still more popular than Trump, poll shows — and Trump isn’t taking it well.” @Reuters
Even some conservatives appeared weary of Trump’s reaction. “He could’ve just ignored it,” said Republican strategist Frank Luntz. “Instead, he made Obama the headline again. And that tells you everything about how Trump sees the world — it’s always about who’s winning the spotlight.”
Meanwhile, Democrats have seized on the feud as proof of Trump’s volatility heading into 2024. “This is who he is,” said Democratic chair Jaime Harrison. “Petty, bitter, obsessed with the past. The contrast with Obama couldn’t be clearer.”
Despite the uproar, Trump supporters remain fiercely loyal. Many flooded social media defending his post, with one viral message reading, “We’d take Trump’s chaos over Obama’s weakness any day.” The line was quickly reposted by Trump himself, who added, “Exactly.”
For political observers, it’s yet another reminder that even years after leaving office, the Obama-Trump rivalry continues to define American politics — two presidents, two visions, and one endless battle for public memory. As one columnist for The Atlantic put it, “Obama built the mirror. Trump can’t stop looking in it.”
And judging by his late-night post, that mirror still reflects the one figure Donald Trump can’t seem to defeat — no matter how many polls he tries to discredit.