Donald Trump's Truth Social account sparked outrage on Friday with a racist video depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes. The 79-year-old former president's late-night posting spree included a minute-long video made by a third party, amplifying Trump's false claim of election victory in 2020. The video features the Obamas' laughing faces superimposed on the bodies of primates in a jungle setting, bobbing to the song 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight'. This racist trope, posted around midnight, attracted about 4,000 likes by 8.30 am ET, but also garnered condemnation from both sides of the political spectrum. The Democratic California governor, Gavin Newsom, and podcaster Ben Rhodes, a former Obama administration official, accused Trump of racism. Rhodes highlighted a post from Republicans Against Trump, an alliance of party members disillusioned with the Trump administration, which featured the racist image. This incident raises questions about Trump's history of racist behavior, including a 2024 allegation of a racial slur on his TV show 'The Apprentice'. The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, attempted to downplay the outrage, linking to a right-wing account's video from October, which also included racist imagery. The post's focus on false claims about the 2020 election and the defamation lawsuit against Fox News adds to the controversy, leaving many questioning Trump's suitability for political power.
