White House Faces Criticism Over Dismissal of Controversial Trump AI Video
The White House was criticized for its response to an AI-generated video President Donald Trump posted that portrayed former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama as apes. Backlash from journalists, political analysts, and parliamentarians has raised questions about responsibility and sensitivity at the highest levels of government.
Trump tweeted the over-a-minute video on his Truth Social account late Thursday, ending with Barack and Michelle Obama’s faces on monkey bodies. Democrats slammed the post, accusing the president of reviving racist images against Black Americans. Trump deleted the video by Friday afternoon.
The mounting outcry was dismissed by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt as “fake outrage.” She told multiple news outlets that the film was from an internet joke depicting Trump as the “King of the Jungle” and Democrats as Lion King characters. Critics swiftly pointed out that the footage Trump shared did not include him as explained.
A White House official later acknowledged a staff member shared the video in accident, but the backlash continued. Journalists and pundits criticized the administration’s statement on social media for failing to address the objectionable imagery.
Sam Stein of The Bulwark said the White House’s answer ignored the main issue by portraying it as a harmless meme. Progressive commentator Mehdi Hasan called the remark “a straight up lie,” adding that Trump solely exploited the meme’s representation of the Obamas as apes.
Others questioned the administration’s rationale. In The Lion King, apes do not appear, but one observer said the meme’s origin was unimportant because the depiction was racist. Journalist Ahmed Baba also rejected the answer as absurd.
The White House appeared to be referencing an October X video that represented Hillary Clinton, Hakeem Jeffries, Joe Biden, and Kamala Harris as animals, while Trump was a lion. Critics claimed that intentionally depicting the Obamas as monkeys removed context and made the post disrespectful.
Republican officials responded briefly but noticeably. President Trump ally Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina said he hoped the video was phony, calling it the most bigoted thing he had seen from the White House. The president was publicly pushed to remove the post. New York Representative Mike Lawler called the video “wrong and incredibly offensive,” regardless of purpose, and suggested deleting it with an apology.
Political tensions and controversy over AI-generated political content have increased since the occurrence. As criticism persists, many ask if the White House appropriately addressed racism and responsibility in presidential statements.
Sources
White House
Truth Social
Official statements from the White House Press Secretary
Public remarks from U.S. Senator Tim Scott
Public statements from U.S. Representative Mike Lawler
