Former president and first lady depicted in controversial racist imagery
Washington, D.C. – President Donald Trump faced bipartisan backlash Friday after reposting a racist AI-generated video on Truth Social late Thursday that portrayed former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama as monkeys, a dehumanizing stereotype with roots in slavery and segregation.
The one-minute clip, from a conservative outlet, promotes debunked 2020 election fraud claims via Dominion machines before flashing the Obamas’ faces on smiling primate bodies in a jungle, set to “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” Trump shared it without comment at 11:44 p.m. ET, garnering over 1,000 likes before removal early Friday.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the uproar, calling it a “harmless internet meme” likening Trump to the “King of the Jungle” and Democrats to The Lion King characters, while blaming a staffer for the error.
Politicians from both parties swiftly condemned the post on X:
- Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), Senate GOP’s only Black member and NRSC chair: “Praying it was fake because it’s the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House. The President should remove it.”
- House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY): “President Obama and Michelle Obama are brilliant, compassionate and patriotic Americans. They represent the best of this country. Donald Trump is a vile, unhinged and malignant bottom feeder. Every single Republican must immediately denounce Donald Trump’s disgusting bigotry.”
- Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D-CA) office: “Disgusting behavior by the President. Every Republican must denounce this. Now.”
Civil rights groups amplified the outcry, noting the imagery’s history as a tool to dehumanize Black people, especially resonant during Black History Month.
Trump has not publicly addressed the controversy, which fits a pattern of sharing altered videos targeting foes like Jeffries (previously depicted in a sombrero). The Obamas’ office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
This incident underscores deepening divides in Trump’s second term, with even allies like Scott breaking ranks. As Atlanta’s media landscape watches national flashpoints, local voices may weigh in on impacts to civil discourse.