Trump faces criticism for portraying Obamas as monkeys

US President Donald Trump has come under fire after posting a video on social media that depicts former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as monkeys.

The one-minute video, posted on Trump's Truth Social platform on Thursday, falsely claims that Dominion Voting Systems, a ballot counting company, helped rig the 2020 election against him.

Towards the end of the video, the Obamas are briefly shown with their faces placed on the bodies of monkeys. The song "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" plays in the background.

California Governor Gavin Newsom, a fierce Trump critic and a potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidate, criticized the post, calling Trump's behavior "disgusting."

“This is abhorrent behavior by the president. Every Republican must condemn it now,” said a message posted on Newsom’s press office’s X (formerly Twitter) account.

Ben Rhodes, a close aide to Barack Obama and a former top national security adviser, said Trump would be seen as a “stain” in history and called Trump’s followers “racists.”

In a post on X, he said, “The idea that future Americans will view the Obamas as beloved and respected figures, and Trump as a stain on history—that is what should drive Trump and his racist followers away.”

Trump has used artificial intelligence (AI) to mock world leaders before. Last year, he posted an AI-generated video of Barack Obama being arrested in the Oval Office and standing behind a prison cell in an orange jumpsuit.

He later posted another AI video, showing House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries—who is black—wearing a fake mustache and sombrero hat.

Barack Obama is the only black president in US history. He endorsed Trump’s 2024 presidential rival Kamala Harris.

White House response

The White House dismissed the controversy in a statement on Friday as “fake outrage.” The response came after Donald Trump posted a video that promoted election conspiracy theories and depicted the Obamas as monkeys. In a statement to AFP, White House press secretary Carolyn Levitt said,

“This is an internet meme video that depicts President Trump as the ‘king of the jungle’ and the Democrats as characters from ‘The Lion King.’” Please stop this fake outrage and report on something that really matters to the American people today.’

Source- NDTV