A recent post by Donald Trump on Truth Social sparked widespread backlash after a video shared on his account briefly depicted Barack and Michelle Obama with their faces superimposed onto animated monkeys.
The roughly one-minute clip focused on renewed claims that the 2020 presidential election was “stolen” through alleged interference by Dominion Voting Systems—assertions repeatedly rejected by courts and election officials. Near the end of the video, the Obamas’ faces appeared for about two seconds on monkeys dancing to “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.”
The imagery prompted swift condemnation from political figures and commentators, many calling it racist and inappropriate. California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office labeled the post “disgusting behavior,” while strategist Adam Parkhomenko described it as “overt racism.”
Social media reaction was sharply divided, with critics expressing outrage and some supporters dismissing the backlash as exaggerated. The White House responded by calling the criticism “fake outrage,” saying the clip originated from a meme. Neither Barack nor Michelle Obama has publicly commented.
