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Barack Obama finally responds to Trump sharing a video depicting him and wife Michelle as apes
Barack Obama is speaking out after President Donald Trump shared a video on social media depicting the former president and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes. The clip, which was later deleted, sparked backlash from Democrats and Republicans alike and reignited tensions between the two political figures.
During an interview with Brian Tyler Cohen, the 44th President of the United States addressed the controversy head on, criticizing what he described as troubling behavior from the current administration. Obama suggested that many Americans are uneasy with Trump’s online activity and broader public conduct.
The remarks mark one of Obama’s most direct responses to Trump in recent months, as debate over political rhetoric and standards of conduct continues to dominate headlines.
Obama calls out loss of decorum
In the interview, Obama referred to both the social media posts and the administration’s public behaviors as a "clown show" and expressed concern about what he sees as a decline in standards tied to the presidency. He also lamented the loss of "decorum" and "propriety" in connection with the nation’s highest office.
The video at the center of the controversy was posted to President Trump’s official Truth Social account last week before being removed. The clip drew criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.
Bipartisan criticism and White House response
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt initially pushed back on the outrage, telling TMZ to "stop the fake outrage and report on something today that actually matters to the American public."
However, some members of the president’s own party publicly rebuked the post. Republican Senator Tim Scott described it as "the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House."
President Trump later shifted responsibility to an unnamed White House staffer and maintained he did not need to apologize. In a separate clip, he insisted he "DIDN'T MAKE A MISTAKE."
Obama, for his part, said the American people would ultimately decide how they feel about the administration’s actions when they head to the ballot box.