**Obama Criticizes Trump’s Policies in Pennsylvania Amid Tight VP Race**

Former President Barack Obama recently launched a pointed critique at Donald Trump's policies during an event in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The focus of the event was to support Vice President Kamala Harris, who is engaged in a close race against Trump in the swing state ahead of the upcoming election. According to a new Quinnipiac poll, Harris holds a narrow three-point lead among likely voters in Pennsylvania.

Obama’s address touched upon several aspects of Trump’s track record, particularly the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act enacted in 2017. This legislation, which reduced the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to a flat 21 percent, is set to expire in 2025. Trump has expressed intentions to not only extend these tax cuts but to make them more far-reaching by eliminating taxes on tips and Social Security benefits and further reducing the corporate tax rate to 15 percent. Analysts, however, point out that while these cuts might benefit middle-class households, they would disproportionately favor the wealthy. The Penn Wharton Budget Model projects that the plan could add $5.8 trillion to the national debt, potentially impacting future generations.

Special counsel Jack Smith's ongoing election subversion investigation against Trump further complicates the former president’s campaign. Smith's office recently submitted a 165-page document outlining new evidence against Trump, who faces four felony charges in the case. The document highlights unsettling details about Trump's response during the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. Notably, an aide informed Trump that then-Vice President Mike Pence had been moved to a secure location, to which Trump allegedly responded indifferently, according to the redacted filing.

On the economic front, Obama scrutinized Trump’s proposed tariff increases on imported goods, citing an analysis by the Center for American Progress that predicts a potential $3,900 annual cost for middle-income families due to tariffs. Conversely, the Peterson Institute for International Economics estimates this cost to be slightly lower, at just over $2,600.

Healthcare was another contentious topic in Obama’s speech. Despite Trump’s claims on Truth Social in March that he would improve and make the Affordable Care Act (ACA) more cost-effective, his previous attempts to dismantle the ACA suggest otherwise. During a debate with Harris in September, Trump labeled Obamacare as “lousy health care,” hinting at possible alternative policies if re-elected.

Discussion also turned to immigration, one of Trump’s hallmark issues. Obama stated that the number of undocumented immigrants had remained relatively stable during Trump’s presidency. Department of Homeland Security data supports this, showing a decrease from 11.4 million in 2017 to 10.5 million by 2020. This figure remained consistent into 2021, according to a Pew Research Center analysis. The number of foreign residents in the U.S. rose slightly from 43.7 million in 2016 to 45.2 million in 2021. Moreover, border encounters fluctuated during Trump’s tenure, rising from 415,517 in 2017 to a significant 1.7 million in 2021, with a notable dip in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Obama’s address in Pittsburgh highlighted these and other issues, aiming to galvanize support for Harris in a key battleground state. The tight race underscores the high stakes in the upcoming election, with both sides vying for critical votes in Pennsylvania.