Former US president Barack Obama condemned a racist video circulated by Donald Trump, describing the incident as a disturbing reflection of today’s political climate. In a new interview with podcaster Brian Tyler Cohen, Obama addressed the clip showing animated apes with the faces of him and his wife Michelle Obama, which briefly appeared on Trump’s Truth Social account earlier this month.
Obama said Americans still value “decency, courtesy [and] kindness” despite social media amplifying a “clown show” of hateful content. He also criticized the erosion of decorum and restraint in public discourse, stressing that standards once expected of public figures have declined.
Praying it was fake because it’s the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House. The President should remove it. https://t.co/gADoM13ssZ
— Tim Scott (@votetimscott) February 6, 2026
Read more: Trump deletes ‘racist’ video post of Obamas as monkeys
The clip, part of a montage promoting unproven 2020 election claims, was deleted after widespread backlash. When asked, Trump refused to apologize, claiming he hadn’t watched the full video and insisting no wrongdoing occurred. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the post as “an internet meme” and dismissed outrage.
BREAKING: @BarackObama clarifies his position on aliens after his answer during the speed round of our interview went viral. pic.twitter.com/75v4jwIWGR
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) February 16, 2026
Obama also addressed unrelated questions about extraterrestrial life, joking that he asked about aliens when he first became president. He clarified that while the universe likely contains life, there was no evidence during his presidency of extraterrestrial contact, and no secret alien labs exist at Area 51.
Read more: Trump faces backlash over racist Obama video
The video controversy and Obama’s remarks highlight the continuing tension in US political discourse, social media accountability, and the former president’s influence in shaping public commentary on civility and decency.