Donald Trump recently shared a controversial video on Truth Social, which portrays Barack and Michelle Obama in a derogatory manner. In the video, which was uploaded late last night, Trump reiterates his allegations of fraud in the 2020 election. The clip concludes with an AI-generated segment that superimposes the former president and first lady’s faces onto the bodies of apes, set to the tune of The Tokens’ song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” The original video is from a pro-Trump account on the platform X but was reposted by Trump on his own social media. This latest action by Trump has stirred significant backlash from both sides of the political spectrum.

California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office expressed their disapproval on X, stating, “Disgusting behavior by the President. Every single Republican must denounce this. Now.” Whether Trump was aware of the imagery featuring the Obamas is unclear, as he soon followed up with a video highlighting the history of black conservatives within the GOP. Trump’s contentious relationship with Barack Obama dates back many years, initiated by his promotion of the false notion that the 44th president was not born in the United States. The White House furthered the narrative, responding to Trump’s actions against the Obamas.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt commented to the Daily Mail, “This is from an internet meme video depicting President Trump as the King of the Jungle and Democrats as characters from the Lion King. Please stop the fake outrage and report on something today that actually matters to the American public.” Meanwhile, anti-Trump Republicans took to X to criticize the President’s actions, accusing him of spreading racist imagery. The account Republicans Against Trump remarked, “Trump just posted a video on Truth Social that includes a racist image of Barack and Michelle Obama as monkeys. There’s no bottom.”

Since starting his second term, Trump has intensified attacks against on Obama on social media by accusing the former president of ‘treason.’ The President claimed Obama betrayed the US by spying on his presidential campaign over accusations of Russian interference in the 2016 election. Trump has posted AI memes on Truth Social showing Obama’s arrest and imprisonment.

‘This is overt racism. Full stop. There’s no ‘misinterpretation’ and no excuse. This is who he is, who he’s always been, and why he should never be anywhere near power again,’ said Democratic political strategist Adam Parkhomenko on X. Trump’s video of the Obamas has been liked more than 2,500 times and reposted more than 1,100 times on Truth Social. The Daily Mail has contacted the Obamas for comment.