Former US President Barack Obama has responded to an AI video that President Donald Trump shared on Truth Social depicting Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, as apes. During an interview with Brian Tyler Cohen, Obama spoke out about the now-deleted video featuring racist caricatures likening black people to apes. “First of all, I think it’s important to recognize that a majority of the American people find this behavior deeply troubling,” Obama started. “It is true that it gets attention. It’s true that it’s a distraction. But, as I’m traveling around the country, as you’re traveling around the country, you meet people, they still believe in decency, courtesy, kindness.”
The since-deleted video posted on Trump’s Truth Social account touched on false election fraud claims surrounding the 2020 presidential election, ending with an animation of the Obamas as apes. The clip featured characters from The Lion King who dance to “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” however, there are no apes featured in the Disney story.
White House officials said the post was not authorised and was taken down once it was brought to their attention.
The former president also went on to address the Trump administration’s unique social media strategy, which has came under fire in the past.
He added, “There’s this sort of clown show that’s happening in social media and on television. And what is true is that there doesn’t seem to be any shame about this among people who used to feel like you had to have some sort of decorum and a sense of propriety and respect for the office, right? So that’s been lost.”