Donald Trump shares video depicting Obamas as monkeys, Internet calls it 'disgusting behaviour'

US President Donald Trump on Thursday posted an election conspiracy video that faced criticism for how it depicted former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama. Democrats called the imagery offensive.

Post gains over 1K likes on Truth Social

The one-minute video, shared on Trump's Truth Social platform, included claims and graphs questioning President Joe Biden's victory in Pennsylvania in the 2020 Presidential Election. At the 59-second mark, an AI-generated image of Obama's face appeared superimposed onto a monkey's body while the song The Lion Sleeps Tonight played.

Also Read | Ozempic at $199? Donald Trump launches 'TrumpRX', announces sweeping prescription drug price cuts

By early Friday morning, the post had gained over 1,000 likes on Truth Social, according to a report by The Times of India. The imagery prompted immediate backlash from Democratic leaders and former officials. The office of California Governor Gavin Newsom, a vocal Trump critic and a possible candidate for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, condemned the post.

How Internet reacted

Reacting to the post by the US president, Governor Newsom Press Office wrote on X, "Disgusting behavior by the President. Every single Republican must denounce this. Now."

Ben Rhodes, a former top national security advisor and close confidant to Barack Obama, also criticised the video. In a post on X, he stated, "Let it haunt Trump and his racist followers that future Americans will embrace the Obamas as beloved figures while studying him as a stain on our history."

One user wrote, "Donald Trump has posted a video on Truth Social that depicts Barack and Michelle Obama as monkeys. I have covered the despicably racist image. Racism deployed right on cue to pull attention away from Epstein involvement."

Another said, "I've just seen that video on Trump's Truth Social account and at the end of the video there was an insulting part with Michel and Barak Obama both presented as monkeys. To add, he video is about "election fraud", we all know there were no fraud."

Also Read | Did Epstein really eat babies? Fact-checkers examine viral cannibalism claims

"You guys, apparently Donald Trump has just posted a video in Truth Social depicting Barrack and Michelle Obama as monkeys. This guy is devoid of any human decency man," said one user.

While some called the video fake, others gave proof, saying the US president had himself posted the video on his Truth Social platform. "The Trump video portraying Barak and Michelle Obama as Monkeys is real, it’s on his Truth Social." The user also gave a link to check out the video.