U.S. President Donald Trump is facing condemnation after sharing a video on social media depicting former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as monkeys, an AI-generated clip widely denounced as racist and offensive.
Trump posted the video late Thursday during a rapid-fire spree on his Truth Social platform, publishing dozens of posts in less than an hour.
Among them was a compilation video promoting his long-running and false claims that the 2020 presidential election was rigged.
Near the one-minute mark of the clip, an AI-altered segment shows the Obamas’ faces superimposed on monkeys’ bodies, set to the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.”
The post, which Trump shared twice, immediately ignited outrage online, particularly as it appeared during Black History Month.
Social media users on X and other platforms denounced the video as racist and dehumanizing, with many accusing Trump of deliberately amplifying harmful tropes historically used to demean Black people.
The video was part of a broader late-night posting blitz, in which Trump recycled debunked claims about widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election. Despite repeated court rulings and official audits finding no evidence to support those allegations, Trump continues to promote them as the 2024 election cycle heats up and the U.S. midterms approach.
In an unrelated post during the same spree, Trump shared a screenshot of a cryptic message reading, “This can be a great option if things don’t work out,” alongside a video of martial artist Bruce Lee in a fight scene.
Critics interpreted the post as part of an increasingly erratic online presence, though Trump offered no explanation.
The controversy comes amid renewed scrutiny of Trump’s recent comments about U.S. elections. Earlier this week, he suggested that Republicans should “take over” election administration in multiple locations and floated the idea of federal control over voting.
“The Republicans should say, ‘We want to take over,’” Trump reportedly said on a conservative podcast released Monday. Speaking with former deputy FBI director Dan Bongino, he went further, adding that elections should be “nationalised.”
However, during an interview with NBC News correspondent Tom Llamas on Wednesday, Trump attempted to walk back those remarks. “I didn’t say nationalise,” he claimed, despite the comments being recorded and widely circulated.
The White House tried to soften the impact of Trump’s statements on Tuesday, as concerns mounted over his rhetoric surrounding elections and democratic institutions.
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president remains committed to the U.S. Constitution but believes past elections have been plagued by “fraud and irregularities,” a claim not supported by evidence.
Yet only hours later, Trump appeared to backtrack on his stance.
Speaking in the Oval Office, he reiterated his view that the federal government should play a direct role in voting administration.
“The federal government should get involved,” he said.
