Senator Tim Scott Condemns Racist AI Video Shared by Trump, Calls It Deeply Offensive
President Trump released an AI-generated video on his Truth Social account depicting former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama as monkeys, sparking a political debate. Critics called the late-night video racist and immoral, sparking fury on social media and in Washington.
Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, the sole Black Republican in the Senate, publicly blasted the film and called for its removal. Scott said he was “praying it was fake” and called the White House film the most racist he has seen. He was the most famous Republican lawmaker to directly oppose the post, breaking with many in his party who remained mute.
White House originally resisted criticism. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called the reaction “fake outrage,” saying the post was from an internet joke that portrayed Trump as the “King of the Jungle” and Democrats as Lion King characters. Since the video Trump shared did not show the meme, that explanation was instantly questioned. It focused primarily on the Obamas as dancing apes, which many saw as racist given America’s long and tragic history of degrading Black people.
As criticism increased, the White House changed its story. CBS News reported that a Trump official stated a White House staffer posted the post “erroneously.” The video was taken off Trump’s Truth Social website, but the outcry persisted on social media and TV news.
Only a few Republican lawmakers joined Scott in denouncing the post. Rep. Mike Lawler of New York called the video bad and “incredibly offensive,” urging its deletion and apologize. Nebraska Sen. Pete Ricketts also slammed the tweet, saying that even if the video was a parody, anyone could see the racism. As with any mistake, the White House should remove the text and apologize.
Scott’s words were remarkable, but liberal commentators and activists criticized him for not going far enough. Even though the White House confirmed and defended the footage, several questioned why he said he hoped it was phony. Scott was criticized for not taking tougher action beyond tweeting comments online.
The debate shows rising worries about using AI in political communications, especially with racially inflammatory imagery. It also shows how deeply divided the US is, where even obvious condemnations of offensive content may spark partisan disagreement.
No formal apology from President Trump has been issued for the video. The incident continues to spark debate concerning responsibility, racism in politics, and public leaders’ obligations when using strong digital technologies to distribute destructive words immediately to millions.
Sources:
White House official statements
U.S. Senate public remarks by Sen. Tim Scott
Statements from Rep. Mike Lawler and Sen. Pete Ricketts
Reporting referenced from CBS News
