US President Donald Trump has come under heavy criticism after sharing a video on his Truth Social account that portrayed former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as monkeys.
The video, which sparked outrage from both Democrats and Republicans, was posted late Thursday night but was later deleted after backlash intensified.
The White House initially dismissed the reaction, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt describing the video as an internet meme that showed Trump as the “King of the Jungle” while portraying Democrats as characters from The Lion King. She also urged critics to stop what she called “fake outrage.”
However, within hours, the administration changed its tone, admitting the post was made in error.
A White House official later stated that a staff member mistakenly uploaded the video and confirmed it had been taken down.
The one-minute clip also pushed conspiracy claims about Trump’s 2020 election loss to Joe Biden, including repeated false allegations involving Dominion Voting Systems. Toward the end of the video, the Obamas appeared briefly with their faces edited onto monkey bodies while the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” played in the background.
There was no immediate response from Barack or Michelle Obama.
Democrats strongly condemned the post, calling it racist and offensive. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries described Trump as “vile” and urged Republicans to publicly denounce the content.
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The controversy also drew criticism from within Trump’s own party. Senator Tim Scott, the only Black Republican senator, described the video as the most racist thing he had seen from the White House and called for it to be removed. Another Republican senator, Roger Wicker, also described the post as unacceptable and said the president should apologise.
Trump has previously faced accusations of racism, including his promotion of the false “birther” theory questioning Barack Obama’s citizenship. Critics say the latest incident further fuels concerns about the president’s use of provocative and divisive content online.
The incident comes as Trump continues to share AI-generated videos and manipulated visuals, often targeting political opponents and critics, while also facing scrutiny over his administration’s stance against diversity, equity and inclusion programmes.
