Donald Trump faced widespread condemnation after sharing a video on his Truth Social account depicting former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama as apes. The video, which was deleted from Trump's account on Friday, featured an AI-generated clip with the Obamas' faces superimposed on ape bodies, set to the song "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." The clip was part of a longer video promoting conspiracy theories about voting fraud during the 2020 presidential election, according to Time.
The depiction of the Obamas as apes is in line with a centuries-old racist trope used to dehumanize Black people, as noted by Time. The post sparked immediate outrage, with both Republicans and Democrats criticizing the former president. The incident adds to a pattern of racially charged rhetoric and actions attributed to Trump.
This is not the first time Trump has been accused of making racist remarks. According to Vox, Trump falsely accused Haitians in Ohio of eating pets during a presidential debate. He also reportedly referred to Haiti as a "shithole country." These comments have caused concern among Haitian communities in America, who fear his actions will be much worse, as reported by Vox.
The controversy comes as Trump's newly formed Board of Peace, which includes figures like Jared Kushner and Marco Rubio, prepares for its inaugural meeting on February 19th to discuss the Gaza ceasefire and fundraising for reconstruction efforts, according to Time. The board, chaired by Trump, will address the fragile ceasefire situation and seek financial contributions, potentially including $1 billion from Russia.
The incident is also drawing attention to other issues, including investigations into the suspected abduction of Savannah Guthrie's mother and a request from Danish veterans for an apology from Donald Trump, as reported by Variety.
Discussion
AI Experts & Community
Be the first to comment