Washington — In a stunning display of racial provocation from the highest office in the United States, President Donald Trump ignited nationwide condemnation after posting a video that portrayed former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes — a dehumanizing trope long associated with racist propaganda.
The one-minute video, shared Thursday on Trump’s Truth Social account, does not merely traffic in offensive imagery. It also revives demonstrably false claims that Dominion Voting Systems rigged the 2020 presidential election — allegations that have been repeatedly debunked in courts, rejected by election officials from both parties, and contradicted by Trump’s own former administration.
Near the end of the video, the Obamas’ faces are digitally superimposed onto monkey bodies while the song The Lion Sleeps Tonight plays in the background. The imagery is unmistakable, intentional, and impossible to separate from a long history of racial caricature used to demean Black Americans.
This was not an isolated lapse in judgment. It was a calculated act by a sitting president who has repeatedly used manipulated media, conspiracy theories, and racial grievance as political weapons.
Condemnation From Lawmakers and Former Officials
Democratic leaders and former officials swiftly denounced the post, warning that Trump’s conduct represents a moral and institutional collapse of presidential norms.
California Governor Gavin Newsom called the video “disgusting behavior by the President,” urging Republicans to publicly denounce it rather than remain silent. “Every single Republican must denounce this. Now,” Newsom’s press office wrote.
Ben Rhodes, former deputy national security adviser to President Obama, framed the episode as one that will define Trump’s historical legacy. “Future Americans will embrace the Obamas as beloved figures,” Rhodes wrote, “while studying Trump as a stain on our history.”
A Pattern, Not a Mistake
Trump’s use of digitally altered media to target Black political figures is well documented. In recent years, he has shared AI-generated videos depicting Barack Obama being arrested in the Oval Office and shown behind bars in a prison jumpsuit. He also circulated a manipulated clip portraying House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries with a fake moustache and sombrero — another racially charged caricature.
These acts have not been accompanied by apologies or retractions. Instead, they reflect a sustained strategy of racialized ridicule and disinformation deployed for political gain.
Barack Obama remains the only African-American president in U.S. history. During the 2024 election cycle, he actively campaigned against Trump in support of Vice President Kamala Harris — a fact that underscores the retaliatory nature of Trump’s attacks.
Presidential Power Weaponized
By amplifying racist imagery and election falsehoods from the presidency itself, Trump has once again blurred the line between personal grievance and state authority. This is not free speech exercised by a private citizen; it is the deliberate misuse of presidential reach to demean political opponents, inflame racial animus, and undermine democratic legitimacy.
The backlash is not about hurt feelings or political correctness. It is about whether the office of the presidency will continue to be used as a megaphone for racism, lies, and historical revisionism — or whether there remains any line Trump is unwilling to cross.
For many critics, that answer is now clear.
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