White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the outrage over President Donald Trump's 'racist' video of showing the Obamas as apes is fake as it is from an internet meme video. Leavitt said the meme video depicted 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,” Leavitt said in a statement to Newsweek.
The AI-generated video was posted on X in October 2025 and showed many Democrats as animals bowing down to Trump. In the full video, Joe Biden appears as a baboon; Kamala Harris as a tortoise; Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer as a zebra; House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries as a meerkat; Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as a donkey; New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani as a hyena; and Hillary Clinton as a warthog. Content creator Xerias took credit for the main video as it drew backlash after Trump shared it.
"Disgusting behavior by the President," California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom said in a post on X, reacting to the video. "Every single Republican must denounce this. Now."
“Praying it was fake because it’s the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House,” Republican senator Tim Scott wrote on X on Friday morning. “The President should remove it.”
Video deleted, staff posted erroneously
After Karoline Leavitt's justification of the meme video, some insiders claimed that a staff had erroneously made the post. A statement from a White House official — sent from an unsigned press email address — confirmed the video was removed and claimed an unidentified staffer had posted it to the president’s social media account.
Politico writer Sophia Cai said she was told that President Trump did not see the video and a staff was blamed. Only a handful of staffers have access to his Truth Social account, Cai observed.
"Nope, not allowing the President to blame a racist post on his own account on White House staffers. This is the second story this morning from his PR team. The first didn’t fly so now they’re putting it on his “team"," NYT author Shannon Watts commented on the cover-up.
At TOI World Desk, our dedicated team of seasoned journalists and...
Read MoreAt TOI World Desk, our dedicated team of seasoned journalists and passionate writers tirelessly sifts through the vast tapestry of global events to bring you the latest news and diverse perspectives round the clock. With an unwavering commitment to accuracy, depth, and timeliness, we strive to keep you informed about the ever-evolving world, delivering a nuanced understanding of international affairs to our readers. Join us on a journey across continents as we unravel the stories that shape our interconnected world.
Read Less
Start a Conversation
Post comment