Former U.S. President Barack Obama has publicly addressed a controversial video shared by Donald Trump on social media, which depicts Trump and his first lady in a manner likened to monkeys. During a recent podcast with Brian Tyler Cohen, Obama expressed concerns about the erosion of decency and respect associated with political office.
In the podcast, the host highlighted statements from the White House regarding the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency and references to ‘domestic terrorists,’ while also noting the video featuring Trump’s face superimposed on a monkey’s body. Obama remarked, “It is important to recognize that most Americans find such behavior deeply troubling. It truly draws attention and distracts from more pressing issues.”
Obama further elaborated on his travels across the United States, where he encountered individuals who still believe in decency, politeness, and kindness. He stated, “What is happening on social media and television resembles a clown show. The truth is that people who once felt the need to adhere to certain standards of behavior and maintain a sense of decency and respect for the office now seem to feel no shame about it. That has been lost.”
While Obama did not mention Trump by name, he expressed support for peaceful protesters organizing against immigration operations. In response to the backlash surrounding the video, Trump claimed he had only seen the beginning of the clip before it was shared by a staff member and was unaware of its content involving Obama. When asked if he would apologize, Trump stated, “I did not make a mistake.”
The video, which features the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” is part of a 62-second clip that includes claims of election fraud from the 2020 presidential election. Initially, the White House defended the clip as an internet meme and urged critics to stop their “fake outrage.” However, following public backlash, including reactions from several Republican senators, the video was removed from Trump’s Truth Social account, with a White House official stating it was “mistakenly” posted by a staff member.
In addition to Trump, the video portrayed several other Democrats as animals, including New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, was also depicted as a monkey eating a banana.
Barack Obama criticized Donald Trump's recent video featuring monkey imagery, highlighting a broader concern about the decline of decency in political discourse. The video, which faced significant backlash, was removed after public outcry, including from Republican senators.