Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama broke their public silence for the first time since President Donald Trump faced backlash for sharing a racist, AI-generated video depicting them as apes. Yet, they made no reference to the controversy.
According to Newsweek, the Obamas instead used their social media platforms Friday evening to express support for U.S. athletes competing in the Winter Olympics and Paralympics, choosing not to engage with the uproar surrounding the since-deleted video. Their decision came just hours after Trump removed the clip from his Truth Social account and later defended the post without offering an apology.
Barack Obama congratulated Team USA in a post on X, writing that he and Michelle were proud of the athletes’ “talent and perseverance” and would be cheering them on. Michelle Obama echoed that message, calling the athletes’ journeys to the world stage “inspiring” as they competed in Italy. The omission was striking given that the video backlash dominated political conversation throughout the week.
While the Obamas stayed silent, Democratic leaders escalated their criticism, accusing the White House of attempting to shield the president from accountability.
Harris: ‘No One Believes This Cover-Up’
Former Vice President Kamala Harris directly challenged the White House’s explanation, accusing the administration of a cover-up after officials blamed a staffer for posting the video.
According to The Hill, Harris wrote on X that “no one believes this cover-up from the White House, especially since they originally defended the post,” adding that the incident only reinforced what the public already knows about Trump’s beliefs.
The White House previously told The Hill that a staffer had “erroneously made the post,” a claim that followed initial public defense of the video by press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who described it as an “internet meme” related to The Lion King.
The explanation did little to quiet criticism.
Jeffries Calls Video ‘Intentional,’ Urges GOP Leaders to Act
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries went further, arguing that the video was posted deliberately and demanding that Republican leadership denounce the president.
In an Instagram post and accompanying video cited by The Hill, Jeffries called on Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson to take a stand, warning that continued silence amounted to complicity.
“This disgusting video, posted by the so-called president, was done intentionally,” Jeffries said, adding, “F— Donald Trump and his vile, racist, and malignant behavior.” He praised the Obamas as “brilliant, caring and patriotic Americans” while labeling Trump a “serial fraudster.”
Jeffries also condemned Republican lawmakers who continued to support Trump, writing that “every Republican sycophant who continues to stand by their cult leader should be run out of office.”
Bipartisan Condemnation and Trump’s Defense
Despite Jeffries’ accusations, some Republicans joined Democrats in condemning the video. Senator Tim Scott, the only Black Republican in the Senate and a close Trump ally, described the depiction of the Obamas as “the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House” and called for its removal. The post was scrubbed from Truth Social roughly two hours later.
Trump later confirmed aboard Air Force One that he spoke with Scott, claiming he had only seen the beginning of the video and thought “it was fine.” He said he “of course” condemned the offensive imagery but insisted he did not make a mistake in having the video posted.
Other Republicans, including Representatives Mike Lawler and Brian Fitzpatrick, as well as Senators Susan Collins and Roger Wicker, also raised concerns.
Silence as Strategy
As criticism mounted, the Obamas’ refusal to engage became a statement of its own. Journalist Ahmed Hussein observed on X that rather than being “dragged into Trump’s provocation,” Obama “chose dignity over distraction,” redirecting the moment toward unity and leadership.
What remains unresolved is whether the staffer blamed for posting the video will face any disciplinary action. For now, the administration has offered no further clarification.
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