Barack Obama has spoken out following criticism over an AI-generated video shared by Donald Trump that portrayed him and Michelle Obama as apes.
The controversial clip, posted on Trump’s Truth Social account in February, sparked widespread backlash online due to racist imagery included at the end of a longer video centered on unfounded voter fraud claims. Trump later defended the post, describing it as a “strong piece” about voter fraud, while White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the criticism as “fake outrage.”
The incident added to the long-running tensions between Trump and Obama, with Trump previously sharing manipulated content depicting the former president being arrested.
In a recent interview with The New Yorker, Obama addressed the controversy, saying he does not take personal attacks seriously but draws the line when his family is targeted. He explained that while public criticism comes with political life, he believes family members who did not choose that spotlight should be off-limits.
The AI-generated video showed the Obamas’ faces edited onto ape bodies while the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” played in the background. The clip drew condemnation from several public figures, including Gavin Newsom, who urged Republicans to denounce it, and former Obama adviser Ben Rhodes, who criticized Trump and his supporters over the post.
Despite the backlash, Trump did not apologize for the video, maintaining that it focused primarily on voter fraud and had circulated online for years. Leavitt also defended the post, arguing it was intended as a meme portraying Trump as the “King of the Jungle” and Democrats as characters from The Lion King.
Obama additionally expressed concern about other AI-generated videos shared by Trump, saying they portray serious issues like war “as if it were a video game” and demean ordinary people. He added that he considers himself fair game politically, but believes attacks involving family cross a line.
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