Donald Trump Posts Racist Video of the Obamas: Hollywood Reacts as White House Defends President

Controversial Video Content

• 🎯 Former President Donald Trump reshared a 55-second animated video on his Truth Social account.
• 🦁 The animation depicted prominent Democrats as animals bowing to Trump, who was portrayed as a lion.
• ⚠️ The video included a centuries-old racist trope, showing Barack and Michelle Obama's faces on the bodies of apes for two seconds.
• 📈 It also perpetuated debunked voter fraud conspiracies within its minute-long duration.

White House Response & Defense

• ⏳ The controversial video remained on Trump's Truth Social account for hours before being deleted midday on Friday.
• 🛡️ The White House blamed an anonymous staffer for the post, claiming President Trump never saw it, despite previous statements that he approves all content.
• 💬 Press Secretary Caroline Levit initially defended the clip by comparing it to characters from "The Lion King," an explanation critics quickly debunked as the film does not feature apes.
• 🗣️ Levit also scolded the media, urging them to "stop the fake outrage" and report on other matters.

Widespread Condemnation

• 🤝 The video drew backlash from both sides of the political aisle, including Republican Senator Tim Scott.
• 🚨 Senator Tim Scott, the only Black Republican in the chamber, called it the "most racist thing" he had seen from the White House.
• ✊ The NAACP condemned the post, highlighting its timing during Black History Month and stating it revealed how Trump and his followers view Black people.
• 🎬 Hollywood celebrities reacted strongly, with Viola Davis stating, "We have lost our moral compass," and Andy Cohen labeling the post "depraved, sick, and disgusting."
• ✨ Other public figures like Debbie Mazar, Garcelove, and Beyoncé's mother, Tina Knowles, also spoke out against the video.