U.S. President Donald Trump has drawn widespread criticism after sharing an AI-generated video on social media that depicted former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as monkeys, a portrayal condemned as racist and offensive.
The video was posted late Thursday on Trump’s Truth Social platform during a rapid burst of activity in which he published dozens of posts in a short span of time. Among the content he shared was a compilation reinforcing his long-disputed claims that the 2020 U.S. presidential election was rigged — unfounded assertions that multiple courts and official investigations have rejected.
In one segment of the video, just under a minute in, faces resembling the Obamas were superimposed onto monkeys’ bodies against the backdrop of the song The Lion Sleeps Tonight. Trump posted the clip twice. The timing of the post — during Black History Month — intensified the backlash.
On X and other social platforms, users criticised the video as dehumanising and rooted in racist stereotypes that have historically been used to malign Black people. Many commentators said the post was inappropriate and harmful.
The controversial clip was part of a broader posting spree in which Trump also shared a screenshot of a cryptic message and a clip of martial artist Bruce Lee, prompting speculation about his online messaging strategy.
The incident comes amid renewed scrutiny of Trump’s recent statements on U.S. election administration. Earlier in the week, Trump suggested that Republicans should “take over” election management in some areas and floated the idea of federal control over voting — proposals that raised concerns about undermining established electoral processes.
Following those remarks, Trump sought to clarify his position in an interview with NBC News, denying that he called for nationalising elections despite recorded evidence to the contrary.
The White House later said that, while Trump believes past elections suffered irregularities, he remains committed to the Constitution. Yet Trump reiterated his view in an Oval Office statement, saying the federal government should play a more direct role in overseeing elections.
