Nationwide — Former President Barack Obama spoke out after President Donald Trump’s social media account posted a video showing him and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes. He called the clip “troubling” and criticized how social media and television now normalize disrespectful behavior.
In an interview with podcaster Brian Tyler Cohen, Obama said most Americans find the behavior disturbing. He described social media and TV as a “clown show” and added that standards of decorum and respect for public office seem to have disappeared.
According to ABC News, the video appeared on Trump’s platform on February 5 late at night. It mainly focused on false claims about the 2020 election, but ended with the Obamas’ faces on ape bodies with “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” playing in the background. The post provided no context for the imagery and sparked outrage before being removed hours later.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt first dismissed the backlash as “fake outrage,” calling the clip an “internet meme” meant to depict Trump as king of the jungle. Later, a White House official said a staffer had posted it by mistake. Trump, however, insisted he did not make a mistake and claimed he hadn’t watched the full video before it went online. No one had been disciplined.
When asked if he condemned the racist imagery, Trump said he did but added he had no message for Americans offended by it. So far, Trump has not publicly apologized for sharing the video.
Source: BlackNews.com
