By Gloria Ogbonna
Former President Barack Obama has publicly criticized what he described as a decline in political decorum and respect, following controversy over a video shared on the social media account of President Donald Trump that depicted him and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes.
Obama addressed the issue during an interview with political commentator Brian Tyler Cohen, in an episode posted Saturday on the Brian Tyler Cohen Podcast. The interview came about a week after the video was shared and later deleted amid widespread backlash from political leaders, commentators, and members of the public across the political spectrum.
In his response, Obama expressed concern not only about the video itself but also about what he sees as a broader erosion of standards in political and public discourse.
“Well, first of all, I think it’s important to recognize that the majority of the American people find this behavior deeply troubling,” Obama said.
He went on to describe the current media and political environment as increasingly chaotic and lacking accountability.
“There’s this sort of clown show that’s happening in social media and on television,” he said. “What is true is that there doesn’t seem to be any shame about this among people who used to feel like you had to have some sort of decorum, a sense of propriety, and respect for the office. That’s been lost.”
The video in question was posted late on the night of February 5 and remained online for several hours before it was removed. Much of the video focused on repeating widely disputed claims about the 2020 presidential election.
However, toward the end of the clip, it abruptly showed the faces of Barack and Michelle Obama superimposed onto animated ape bodies while the song The Lion Sleeps Tonight played in the background.
The imagery sparked immediate outrage, with critics calling it offensive and inappropriate. Calls for its removal quickly followed, and the post was eventually taken down.
Initial responses from the White House appeared to downplay the situation. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the backlash as “fake outrage,” describing the video as an internet meme that portrayed Trump as the king of the jungle and political opponents as animals.
However, the administration later offered a different explanation, with an official stating that a staff member had mistakenly posted the video.
Despite that clarification, Trump later told reporters he did not view the situation as an error on his part, explaining that he had not watched the entire video before it was shared to his account.
He also said the staff member believed to have posted the video had not faced disciplinary action.
When asked by reporter Fritz Farrow whether he condemned the offensive imagery in the video, Trump responded, “Of course I do.”
However, when asked if he had a message for Americans who were offended, Trump said he did not.
“Well, I have no message,” he said. “I didn’t know about it, so I mean, it went up. I really have no message.”
As of now, Trump has not issued a public apology related to the video.
The incident has further intensified debates about political rhetoric, social media responsibility, and the tone of modern political communication.
Obama’s remarks reflect broader concerns among some leaders and observers about the impact such incidents may have on public trust, national unity, and respect for political institutions.
Source ABC7
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