• Trump shared a video depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as monkeys, provoking strong backlash.
• The video contained unfounded claims about the 2020 election, set to "The Lion Sleeps Tonight."
• Prominent figures, including GOP Senator Tim Scott, condemned the post as the “most racist” from the White House.
• The White House later claimed the post was shared erroneously by a staff member.
• Critics demand Republican leaders denounce Trump's actions amid accusations of perpetuating racist tropes.

President Donald Trump ignited controversy after sharing a video on his Truth Social platform that includes an offensive depiction of former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama as monkeys. This one-minute video repeats baseless claims that Dominion Voting Systems aided in stealing the 2020 election, and features the controversial song "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" during the animation, which shows the Obamas' faces superimposed on primate bodies. Rapid backlash followed from Democratic leaders and former officials who called the imagery not just offensive, but deeply racist, highlighting the long history of dehumanization associated with such portrayals, according to Indiatimes, South China Morning Post, and ABC News.

Governor Gavin Newsom of California, a notable Trump critic, referred to the post as “disgusting behavior” and urged every Republican to condemn Trump's actions. Similarly, Ben Rhodes, a former top advisor to Obama, stated on social media that this would serve as a permanent stain on Trump’s legacy, which reflects the broader disdain many feel toward his repeated use of hyper-realistic and fabricated videos to attack critics, according to CBS News, Los Angeles Times, and Reuters.

In the wake of the backlash, the White House dismissed the outrage as “fake,” suggesting the video originated as part of a larger meme where Trump was depicted as "King of the Jungle." Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt characterized the backlash as misplaced and stated, “Please stop the fake outrage.” However, this defense did not diminish the condemnation from various political figures who pointed to the harmful stereotypes perpetuated by such imagery. Critics emphasized that Trump's posts encourage a culture of intolerance and echo white supremacist narratives, according to Indiatimes and Indiatimes.