Former US President Barack Obama has addressed a racist video shared on President Donald Trump’s social media, which depicted him and his wife Michelle as apes, saying the “shame” and “decorum” that once guided public officials has largely disappeared.
The controversial clip, set to the song The Lion Sleeps Tonight, was shared on Trump’s Truth Social account alongside unfounded claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election.
The video, later deleted and blamed on a staff member, drew condemnation from Democrats and Republicans alike. Senator Tim Scott, the only Black Republican senator, called it “the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House.”
Obama spoke to liberal podcaster Brian Tyler Cohen about the state of political discourse in the US.
He said the tone has “devolved to a level of cruelty that we haven’t seen before,” noting that while the video grabs attention, many Americans still “believe in decency, courtesy, kindness.”
“There’s this sort of clown show that’s happening in social media and on television,” Obama said.
“And what is true is that there doesn’t seem to be any shame among people who used to feel a sense of decorum and respect for the office. That’s been lost.”
He did not mention Trump by name during his comments.
The 47-minute podcast, released on Saturday, also covered issues including peaceful protests against immigration operations, electoral redistricting, and Obama’s upcoming presidential library, scheduled to open in Chicago next year.
