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In a controversial move that has drawn bipartisan condemnation, President Donald Trump shared a video on his Truth Social platform depicting former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes, sparking outrage across the political spectrum.
By midday Friday, the video had been removed, but not before triggering widespread criticism from both Republicans and Democrats who labeled the post as blatantly racist. The offensive imagery appeared approximately 59 seconds into a minute-long video that primarily pushed baseless claims about the 2020 presidential election.
Senator Tim Scott, the only Black Republican currently serving in the Senate, expressed his dismay on social media platform X, stating he was “praying” the video “was fake because it’s the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House.” He directly called for the president to remove the content.
Republican Representative Mike Lawler echoed these sentiments, describing the post as “incredibly offensive — whether intentional or a mistake.” Senator Pete Ricketts of Nebraska also weighed in, writing, “Even if this was a Lion King meme, a reasonable person sees the racist context to this.”
The White House initially defended the post, with spokesperson Karoline Leavitt describing it as an “internet meme video depicting President Trump as the King of the Jungle and Democrats as characters from ‘The Lion King.'” She dismissed the criticism, telling ABC News, “Please stop the fake outrage and report on something today that actually matters to the American public.”
Later, the administration changed course, claiming the post had been shared “erroneously” by a White House staffer rather than the president himself. Despite the removal of the video, Trump declined to apologize when speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One.
“No, I didn’t make a mistake,” Trump said. “I look at thousands of things. I looked at the beginning of it. It was fine.”
The controversy occurs amid an already tense political climate as the November midterm elections approach. Some vulnerable Republicans face challenging re-election campaigns, and Trump has previously warned that losing control of Congress could lead to renewed impeachment proceedings against him.
Democrats have seized on the incident to highlight what they characterize as a pattern of racist behavior. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries defended the Obamas as “brilliant, compassionate and patriotic Americans” while questioning why Republican leaders continue to support Trump.
Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi drew parallels between the video and racist imagery from America’s Jim Crow era, when dehumanizing depictions of Black Americans were common following the abolition of slavery. “This kind of Jim Crow-style dehumanisation is pathetic and a disgrace to the office,” Krishnamoorthi wrote.
Trump’s history with the Obamas has long been contentious. His entry into national politics was marked by his promotion of the false “birther” conspiracy theory, which questioned whether Barack Obama was born in the United States. As the first Black couple to serve as president and first lady in U.S. history, the Obamas have frequently been targets of racial attacks.
Since founding Truth Social in February 2022 after being temporarily banned from mainstream social media platforms, Trump has regularly shared memes and AI-generated videos promoting his political agenda. Critics suggest this latest controversy may be an intentional attempt to divert attention from other issues, including recent revelations related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The video, watermarked with “Patriot News Outlet,” paired the doctored image of the Obamas with the 1961 song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” while promoting debunked conspiracy theories about the 2020 election.
As the fallout continues, the incident has reignited debates about the boundaries of political discourse and the responsibilities that come with holding the nation’s highest office.
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7 Comments
Deplorable that the President would post such offensive, racist content. This kind of hate speech has no place in civil discourse, regardless of political affiliation. I hope he removes the video and issues a sincere apology.
While I disagree with the former President on many issues, this racist video is completely unacceptable. Republicans and Democrats alike are right to condemn it in the strongest possible terms. The President should take it down immediately.
Agreed. This type of inflammatory, divisive content only serves to further polarize our politics. I hope the President learns from this incident and avoids such provocations in the future.
Racism has no place in our politics, period. The President’s decision to share this video is deeply disturbing and I’m glad to see bipartisan condemnation. He should remove the content and issue a sincere apology.
As a Republican, I’m appalled that the President would post something so overtly racist. Depictions of the Obamas as apes are disgusting and have no place in our political discourse. I applaud my fellow GOP leaders for condemning this in the strongest possible terms.
Couldn’t agree more. This type of content is unacceptable from any political leader, regardless of party affiliation. I hope the President takes this as a learning experience and avoids such divisive and inflammatory rhetoric going forward.
Deeply disturbing to see the President sharing such blatantly racist imagery. Even if unintentional, the implications are clear and completely unacceptable. I hope he removes the video and issues a sincere apology to the Obamas and the American people.