Obama Slams Donald Trump's Racist Video, Calling It a 'Distraction' From Real Issues
Former President Obama blasts Trump’s viral post as harmful rhetoric, saying it distracts from real problems and doesn’t reflect American values.
Feb. 15 2026, Published 1:25 p.m. ET
Former President Barack Obama responded to the racist video President Donald Trump shared online, calling it a 'distraction' from the real issues facing the country, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
In a sit-down interview with journalist Brian Tyler Cohen, Obama didn't dwell on the viral clip itself—an image that depicted him and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes—but instead used the moment to address the broader collapse in political discourse.
'Level of Cruelty'
Obama calls Trump’s racist post a 'distraction' from real issues.
Cohen opened the discussion by noting that public rhetoric has "devolved into a level of cruelty that we haven't seen before," adding that behavior once considered "disqualifying just a few years ago" is now not only tolerated but "rewarded."
Cohen referenced instances in which senior Trump aides had described people killed during federal immigration operations as "domestic terrorists," then shifted the conversation to the now‑viral ape image Trump reposted.
Former president blasts social media chaos as a 'clown show.'
'A Distraction'
Obama praises protests as a stand against toxic political rhetoric.
"Just days ago, Donald Trump put a picture of you—your face—on an ape's body." Obama gave a brief, restrained laugh when Cohen described the image.
"We've seen the devolution of the discourse. How do we come back from a place that we have fallen into?" Cohen asked.
Obama responded: "The majority of the American people find this behavior deeply troubling."
He dismissed the viral outrage cycle as nothing more than a tactic to grab "attention" and described Trump's post as "merely a distraction."
'A Clown Show'
GOP lawmakers Tim Scott, Susan Collins, and Roger Wicker condemn Trump’s post.
Obama drew a distinction between the chaos online and what reflects real American values.
He called it "a clown show that's happening on social media and on television," while making clear that the erosion of civility is real.
He criticized politicians and public figures amplifying inflammatory rhetoric, saying there's no "shame about this" and calling the shift a loss of "propriety and respect for the office."
Obama rejected the notion that the nation as a whole has embraced the extreme rhetoric dominating the loudest corners of public discourse.
Pointing to the unrest in Minneapolis following deadly encounters involving federal agents, including the killings of Renee Nicole Good, and ICU nurse Alex Pretti, he said the public reaction tells a different story.
He praised what he called an "extraordinary outpouring of organizing, community building, decency" among residents, framing the protests as a rejection of the political climate being fueled at the top. “
"This is not the America we believe in," he said, describing a public unwilling to succumb to the noise. "People are choosing to fight back, push back, and call out what they see."
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
'Totally Unacceptable'
Obama said, 'This is not the America we believe in' and people are pushing back.
Criticism of Trump's repost didn't stop at protests; lawmakers from both parties denounced the video, though Republicans were slower to speak out.
Sen. Tim Scott, typically a staunch Trump supporter, broke ranks, calling the clip "the most racist thing" he's witnessed from the White House and asking Trump to retract it.
Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins agreed with the criticism, and Mississippi Rep. Roger Wicker condemned the content as "totally unacceptable."
