Americans are finally speaking up.
Chicago residents are speaking out against the controversial Obama Presidential Center, calling it a monument to Barack Obama’s ego that is wrecking their neighborhoods with skyrocketing rents, higher taxes, and displacement of longtime families.
A Monument to Ego, Not Community
The nearly 20-acre complex in Jackson Park includes a 225-foot-tall concrete tower that critics say looks like a bunker instead of a library.
“This isn’t a gift—it’s a shrine to one man’s ego,” said Steve Cortes, a Chicago native and former Trump advisor. “Look at the Reagan Library—beautiful, open, inspiring. This? A concrete monstrosity with no windows. What are they hiding?”
Broken Promises, Rising Costs
The Obama Foundation grabbed a 99-year lease for just $10 in 2018, promising jobs and growth. Instead, residents are seeing the opposite.
- Rents rising from $850 to $1,300.
- Taxes climbing for small landlords.
- Families being pushed out of their own community.
Alderwoman Jeanette Taylor warned: “Every time a big development comes in, families get displaced. This was no different.”
Luxury Hotels and Elites Take Over
A proposed 250-room luxury hotel tied to the project has become the symbol of gentrification. Residents fear it will accelerate the push for wealthy outsiders while forcing working-class families to leave.
“This is about money and power, not the people,” said activist Dixon Romeo.
Over Budget and Behind Schedule
Construction has dragged on while costs exploded from $330 million to more than $830 million. Critics say the delays are fueled by Obama’s obsession with diversity quotas over merit.
Trump: “Obama’s Library Is a Disaster”
President Donald Trump, who built his career on finishing projects on time and under budget, didn’t hold back.
“Obama’s library in Chicago is a disaster. He chose political correctness over skilled builders—and now it’s over budget, behind schedule, and tearing apart the neighborhood,” Trump said.
A $40 million lawsuit from a minority contractor against the project’s structural engineer highlighted how DEI mandates created infighting and delays.
Locals: “Tower of Babel”
Residents are also blasting the design itself.
- “It looks like a giant rock crushing what used to be a park,” said attorney Ken Woodward.
- “It’s the Tower of Babel,” said activist Tyrone Muhammad.
- “It’s monstrous, overblown, and disrespectful,” said community organizer Kyana Butler.
The Bottom Line
What was supposed to be a library has turned into a bloated vanity project that is:
- Over budget
- Badly designed
- Destroying the community it claims to help
Meanwhile, Chicago’s working families are left with higher bills, fewer housing options, and broken promises—all for a monument to Barack Obama’s political legacy.
