Former President Donald Trump's social media post depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as primates in a jungle setting was deleted Friday after drawing bipartisan condemnation. The video, which appeared to be AI-generated and set to the song "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," featured the Obamas' faces superimposed on ape bodies and was part of a longer video promoting conspiracy theories about the 2020 presidential election, according to multiple reports. The White House initially defended the post before later attributing it to a staffer's error.
The post, shared on Trump's Truth Social account late Thursday night, sparked immediate outrage from both Republicans and Democrats. Critics, including civil rights leaders and veteran Republican senators, condemned the video as racist and offensive due to its use of a centuries-old trope used to dehumanize Black people, according to Time. The White House's initial response, dismissing "fake outrage," was followed by a rare admission of a misstep, with the explanation that a staffer had erroneously posted the video.
The deletion came after calls for its removal, including from within the Republican party. The incident highlights the continued controversy surrounding Trump's social media activity and the sensitivity surrounding race and political discourse.
In other news, the U.S. and Iran are set to hold talks regarding the nuclear program, according to NPR. Additionally, the British government is facing scrutiny following the release of files related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, with the fallout spreading to 10 Downing Street, as reported by Time.
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