President Donald Trump veered into a critique of the Obama Presidential Center during a high-profile meeting with Canada’s new Prime Minister, Mark Carney, at the White House on Tuesday, May 6, 2025.
Initially focused on bipartisan legislation and DEI requirements, the conversation shifted into an extensive commentary on the Chicago, Illinois, project dedicated to former President Barack Obama.
“He’s building his library in Chicago. It’s a disaster,” Trump remarked, referencing Obama’s ongoing endeavor in Jackson Park on Chicago’s South Side.
The president alleged that Obama had prioritized “DEI” and “woke” workers for the site, attributing this preference to cost overruns and delays. Trump described the project as halted and repeatedly labeled it a “disaster.”
Emily Bittner, spokesperson for the Obama Foundation, highlighted the center’s impressive design and scale, asserting its role as an economic catalyst for Chicago and a symbol of global hope.
Bittner noted anticipation of welcoming visitors to the 48-acre campus next spring, emphasizing its dedication to the Obamas’ legacy and nurturing future leadership.
The Obama Foundation countered Trump’s claim that construction had stopped, stating issues involved a subcontractor dispute over completed work. Construction has progressed through Chicago’s winter, with the center slated to open in 2026.
Trump expressed dissatisfaction, offering his construction expertise to Obama. He criticized the choice of inexperienced workers over “good, hard, tough, mean construction workers,” comments directed partly at Secretary of State Marco Rubio, present at the meeting.
The Chicago Federation of Labor responded strongly against Trump’s portrayal, with Federation President Bob Reiter calling the remarks “wildly inaccurate and offensive,” praising the skilled union workers on the project.
Since its September 2018 announcement, the Obama Presidential Center has faced hurdles. Initially projected at $350 million, costs have risen above $800 million, entirely funded privately.
Breaking ground in September 2021, the center has encountered delays from its original 2021 opening target. After resolving legal issues regarding its Jackson Park location, it is now projected for completion in 2026.
In January 2025, a $40 million lawsuit by subcontractor II in One accused engineering firm Thornton Tomasetti of racial discrimination. The Obama Foundation, not a party to this dispute, stated it would not affect the timeline.
The center is intended to honor the legacy of the first Black president and first lady and serve as a community engagement and leadership hub on Chicago’s South Side.
Upon completion, the campus will include various facilities such as a museum, auditorium, library branch, arena, and athletic facilities, all set in a redesigned landscape of historic Jackson Park.
The Obama Foundation projects the center will be an economic engine for Chicago’s South Side, potentially generating up to $3 billion in activity.
Canadian Prime Minister Carney responded to Trump’s comments during their May 6, 2025, Oval Office meeting. While Trump criticized the Obama Presidential Center and suggested Canada could be the 51st U.S. state, Carney remained composed, “Canada is not for sale—it won’t be for sale, ever,” emphasizing Canadian sovereignty.
Carney also expressed relief, noting, “I’m glad you couldn’t tell what was going through my mind.”
