Former President Barack Obama has criticized the sharing of a racist AI-generated video depicting him and his wife as apes by President Donald Trump's social media account. In a recent interview, Obama expressed concern over the lack of decorum in such actions. The video, posted at the start of Black History Month, was later deleted amid backlash.
Former President Barack Obama addressed a controversial social media post from President Donald Trump's account in an interview posted on YouTube on Saturday. The video in question, shared earlier this month, used AI to portray Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes, drawing widespread condemnation.
Obama remarked on the incident, stating, "There doesn't seem to be any shame about this among people who used to feel like you had to have some sort of decorum and a sense of propriety and respect for the office." He noted that many Americans find such behavior "deeply troubling," describing the surrounding social media and television activity as a "clown show" and a distraction during Trump's presidency.
The White House defended the post, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt urging people to "stop the fake outrage." Trump himself declined to apologize, telling reporters aboard Air Force One, "I didn't make a mistake." Officials later attributed the posting to a staffer who acted "erroneously," and the video has since been removed.
In the same interview with YouTuber Brian Tyler Cohen, Obama also discussed broader issues, including an immigration crackdown and related protests. He highlighted actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in areas like Minneapolis and St. Paul, describing deployments without clear guidelines, including pulling individuals from homes and using children to lure parents. Obama called the killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis last month a "heartbreaking tragedy" and a wake-up call for Americans across parties. He criticized the Trump administration's explanations for the deaths of Pretti and Renee Good as lacking serious investigation, emphasizing the need to uphold national values amid these events.
