Clip sparks backlash and negativity
A 62-second animation posted last week depicts Donald Trump as a lion and Barack Obama and Michelle Obama as monkeys, along with baseless claims of voter fraud. The clip was related to pending allegations regarding the 2020 election and remained online for approximately 12 hours before being removed.
President Trump said he had not seen the part depicting the Obamas, blamed his staff for posting the image, and refused to apologize, saying he condemned the image. The White House first dismissed the criticism as a “false outrage” before deleting the post.
The video prompted bipartisan condemnation. Tim Scott called it “the most racist thing I’ve seen in this White House,” and Roger Wicker called it “totally unacceptable” and demanded an apology. Democratic leaders called it “despicable” and “disgusting bigotry.”
Obama: Speech has ‘evolved’
The remarks were made in a 47-minute interview with political commentator Brian Tyler Cohen published Saturday.
Asked about the tone of U.S. politics, President Obama said the rhetoric had “evolved to a level of brutality we’ve never seen before.”
“It’s important to recognize that the vast majority of Americans find this behavior very problematic,” he said, acknowledging that such content gets attention but distracts from the real issue.
“There’s this kind of clown show going on on social media and on TV,” he added. “There doesn’t seem to be any shame… There are people who used to feel like they had to have some kind of decorum, civility, respect for the office. That’s been lost.”
Mr. Obama did not mention Mr. Trump by name.
Broader themes and AI tactics
Beyond the controversy, President Obama also spoke about immigration enforcement protests, electoral redistricting and the progress of his presidential library, scheduled to open in Chicago next year. He argued that most Americans will reject hostility and intolerance and will ultimately express their opinions through civic engagement and voting booths.
Trump has previously shared AI-generated and digitally altered visuals on Truth Social to promote himself or attack his opponents. Critics say the tactic reflects a broader strategy to stoke racial tensions while challenging anti-discrimination norms.
The episode highlights the growing divisions over political rhetoric as the United States approaches another contentious election cycle.
