Obama breaks silence on Trump’s racist video depicting him and Michelle as apes

The video posted last week by Trump’s Truth Social showed the Obamas’ faces superimposed onto apes, as the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” played in the background. It also included unfounded claims of voter fraud in 2020.

Speaking to liberal podcaster Brian Tyler Cohen about the video, Obama said the "decorum" that once guided public officials is now lost and the tone of political discourse "has devolved to a level of cruelty that we haven't seen before".

Despite the political climate, the first black president of the US said it was important to acknowledge that most Americans still find this behaviour "deeply troubling".

“It is true that it gets attention. It’s true that it’s a distraction. But, as I’m traveling around the country, as you’re traveling around the country, you meet people — they still believe in decency, courtesy, kindness."

Read more: Trump posts racist video depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as monkeys

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"There's this sort of clown show that's happening in social media and on television.

"People used to feel like you had to have some sort of decorum, and a sense of propriety and respect for the office. That’s been lost."

The clip drew widespread outrage from across the political spectrum - including from several Republican lawmakers.

“Praying it was fake because it’s the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House. The President should remove it,” Senator Tim Scott, the only Black Republican in the chamber, wrote on X.

Following the post, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt initially shut down criticism, telling reporters to “stop the fake outage".

However, as criticism continued, the clip was deleted.

Reporters were later told by a White House official that a staffer “erroneously made the post.”

Despite the backlash, Trump refused to apologise when asked about the video, telling reporters he “didn’t make a mistake.”

He also said he did not fire or discipline the staffer who allegedly posted the video.

Elsewhere in the 47-minute the interview, Obama praised protesters who have peacefully organised against ICE immigration operations, discussed electoral redistricting and talked about his presidential library, which is due to open in Chicago next year.

He did not mention Trump by name in his response.