Video: Barack Obama: 'dumb and arbitrary' sequester spending cuts will hurt Americans Barack Obama made the comments in a press conference after emerging from a unsuccessful, last-minute meeting with US congressional leaders. Before the meeting, a White House spokesman said the cuts would be put into force as close to midnight as possible because President Obama was "ever hopeful" on a deal to avoid them. However, Mr Obama emerged sounding bleak. Let's be clear. None of this is necessary," the president said. "It's a choice Republicans in Congress have made" to avoid to closing tax loopholes that benefit the wealthy. He said "the pain will be real" for the American people, but he added that the cuts aren't "the apocalypse, they're just dumb." President Obama and congressional Republicans are deeply at odds over how to tackle the country's $16.6 trillion debt, and they have been battling over that issue since the opposition party regained a majority in the House of Representatives more than two years ago. The spending cuts are now due to come in after congressional leaders and Mr Obama failed to reach a compromise.