US President Donald Trump has removed a social media video which included a racist clip depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes. The clip - set to the song The Lion Sleeps Tonight - was at the end of a 62-second video containing claims about voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election. Republican Senator Tim Scott - who is black - had called for the president to remove the post, describing it as the most racist thing I've seen out of this White House.
The White House initially defended the clip as an internet meme video and told critics to stop the fake outrage. The clip appears to have been taken from an X post shared by conservative meme creator Xerias in October, which also depicted other high-profile Democrats as animals.
Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden, was also depicted similarly in the video. While the Obamas have yet to comment, the video sparked a fierce backlash, with concern emerging from within Trump's own party. Senator Scott remarked that he was praying it was fake and called for its removal, while New York representative Mike Lawler labeled it wrong and incredibly offensive.
In a statement sent to the media, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described the video as depicting Trump as the King of the Jungle, urging critics to focus on more pressing issues. However, as the backlash escalated, the White House later stated that a staffer erroneously made the post, which has since been taken down. Critics from various sectors, including civil rights leaders, labeled the video disgusting and accused Trump of using it to shift attention away from critical issues like the Epstein case and a struggling economy.
While Trump has a history of attacking Obama, previously making claims about his birthplace, he reportedly acknowledged Obama's citizenship later on. This incident reflects the ongoing racial tensions and the often inflammatory nature of political discourse in contemporary America.}
The White House initially defended the clip as an internet meme video and told critics to stop the fake outrage. The clip appears to have been taken from an X post shared by conservative meme creator Xerias in October, which also depicted other high-profile Democrats as animals.
Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden, was also depicted similarly in the video. While the Obamas have yet to comment, the video sparked a fierce backlash, with concern emerging from within Trump's own party. Senator Scott remarked that he was praying it was fake and called for its removal, while New York representative Mike Lawler labeled it wrong and incredibly offensive.
In a statement sent to the media, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described the video as depicting Trump as the King of the Jungle, urging critics to focus on more pressing issues. However, as the backlash escalated, the White House later stated that a staffer erroneously made the post, which has since been taken down. Critics from various sectors, including civil rights leaders, labeled the video disgusting and accused Trump of using it to shift attention away from critical issues like the Epstein case and a struggling economy.
While Trump has a history of attacking Obama, previously making claims about his birthplace, he reportedly acknowledged Obama's citizenship later on. This incident reflects the ongoing racial tensions and the often inflammatory nature of political discourse in contemporary America.}
