U.S. President Donald Trump is facing widespread criticism after sharing a controversial AI-generated video on his Truth Social platform depicting former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as monkeys. The post, widely condemned as racist and offensive, drew immediate backlash online, particularly as it appeared during Black History Month.
Trump shared the video late Thursday during a rapid posting spree, publishing dozens of posts in less than an hour. Among them was a compilation promoting his long-debunked claims that the 2020 presidential election was rigged.
Near the one-minute mark, an AI-altered segment shows the Obamas’ faces superimposed onto monkeys’ bodies, accompanied by the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” Trump shared the post twice, triggering outrage across social media platforms, with critics labeling it “dehumanizing” and “racist.”
Several commentators accused Trump of deliberately amplifying harmful stereotypes historically used to demean Black people. The AI video came alongside a broader posting blitz in which Trump recycled false voter fraud claims, despite repeated court rulings and audits disproving such allegations.
In a separate post during the same spree, Trump shared a cryptic screenshot reading, “This can be a great option if things don’t work out,” paired with a video clip of Bruce Lee in a fight scene. Analysts interpreted the post as part of an increasingly erratic online behavior, though Trump provided no explanation.
The controversy coincides with renewed scrutiny of Trump’s comments on U.S. elections. Earlier this week, he suggested that Republicans should “take over” election administration in multiple locations and floated the idea of federal control over voting.
“The Republicans should say, ‘We want to take over,’” Trump said on a conservative podcast, adding that elections should be “nationalised.” He later attempted to walk back the remark during an interview with NBC News, claiming, “I didn’t say nationalise.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt sought to soften the impact, stating that Trump remains committed to the Constitution while reiterating his belief in past election “fraud and irregularities,” a claim not supported by evidence.
Hours later, Trump doubled down in the Oval Office, saying:
“The federal government should get involved.”