The political discourse in the United States has hit a new nadir. President Donald Trump is facing intense global condemnation after sharing a doctored video on Truth Social that depicts Barack and Michelle Obama using vile, racist imagery.

It is a shock to the conscience, even by modern standards of political mudslinging. President Trump, currently in the first year of his second term, posted a one-minute video on his platform, Truth Social, which concludes with a fleeting but unmistakable image of the former First Couple’s faces superimposed onto monkeys. The video, set to the tune of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," repeats debunked conspiracy theories about the 2020 election before pivoting to the dehumanizing racial slur.

Weaponizing the Presidency

The post has drawn swift and furious reaction. California Governor Gavin Newsom called it "disgusting behavior," demanding that every Republican denounce it immediately. Ben Rhodes, a former top aide to Obama, framed it as a stain on American history. "Let it haunt Trump and his racist followers," Rhodes wrote. The White House has yet to issue an apology, with allies dismissing the post as "satire," a defense that has done little to quell the firestorm.

This incident marks a significant escalation in Trump's use of social media to target his opponents with racially charged rhetoric. By sharing such content from the Oval Office (or its digital equivalent), he legitimizes hate speech in a way that few world leaders ever have. It serves as a dog whistle to the far-right fringes of his base.

• The Context: The video also pushed the "Big Lie" regarding Dominion Voting Systems, showing that Trump remains fixated on the 2020 election despite having reclaimed the presidency.
• The Tech Angle: The use of AI-generated or manipulated imagery to spread hate speech poses a new challenge for content moderation, though Truth Social is owned by the President himself.

A Nation Divided

The Obamas have remained dignified in their silence, a contrast that only highlights the crudeness of the attack. For the international community, the video is a disturbing reminder of the racial fissures that still run deep in American society.

The President of the United States posted a racist meme. In 2026, this is the reality of global leadership.