{"id":2570168,"date":"2026-02-15T13:25:02","date_gmt":"2026-02-15T18:25:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/obama-says-respect-for-the-office-lost-after-trump-shares-racist-ape-video\/"},"modified":"2026-02-15T13:28:01","modified_gmt":"2026-02-15T18:28:01","slug":"obama-says-respect-for-the-office-lost-after-trump-shares-racist-ape-video","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/obama-says-respect-for-the-office-lost-after-trump-shares-racist-ape-video\/","title":{"rendered":"Obama says &#8216;respect for the office&#8217; lost after Trump shares racist ape video"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fobama-says-respect-for-the-office-lost-after-trump-shares-racist-ape-video%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2570168&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Former President Barack Obama criticized the viral video that Donald Trump shared on Truth social, which depicted him and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes, calling the broader reaction a \u201cclown show\u201d on social media and television and saying it reveals a troubling decline in civility. He argued that many Americans still value decency and decorum, but those norms are being eroded by the current online culture. Obama suggested that Democrats have sometimes appeared as \u201cscolds\u201d or engaged in virtue signaling, and urged a message that acknowledges imperfection and creates a welcoming habitat too win support. He contrasted this with Republicans,which he described as practicing mean,angry,exclusive,us-vs-them politics,while Democrats should strive to come together,citing Bad Bunny\u2019s inclusive Super Bowl performance as an example of what a community can look like. The remarks also touched on how the video and surrounding controversy could affect the party ahead of elections, with Obama pointing to the idea of a \u201cbeloved community\u201d\u2014where people of different generations and backgrounds feel they belong. Trump rejected apologizing for the post, saying he didn\u2019t watch the full video but acknowledged it depicted something people dislike, while also noting that he had previously removed another <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >election-related video amid controversy<\/a>.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Obama says &lsquo;respect for the office&rsquo; lost after Trump shares racist ape video<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2497274\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Former President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/washington-secrets\/4457205\/white-house-report-card-trump-easy-critics-obamas-video\/\">Barack Obama<\/a> said a &ldquo;clown show&rdquo; is happening on social media and television in response to a viral video President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/entertainment\/4458496\/trump-says-dinner-with-bill-maher-was-a-waste-of-time\/\">Donald Trump<\/a> shared on Truth Social.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4448727\/tim-scott-calls-trump-remove-obama-monkey-video-truth-social\/\">Trump took down an election conspiracy video<\/a> from his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/buffy-actress-michelle-trachtenberg-there-was-a-rule-joss-whedon-couldnt-be-alone-with-me\/\" title=\"\u2018Buffy\u2019 Actress Michelle Trachtenberg: \u2018There Was A Rule\u2019 Joss Whedon Couldn\u2019t Be Alone With Me\">social media earlier<\/a> this month after it generated mass controversy, as it included a racist stereotype, portraying Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes. The former president reacted to the video by saying most people in the United States find Trump&rsquo;s behavior &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pete-hegseths-nomination-faces-its-toughest-test-yet\/\" title=\"Pete Hegseth&#039;s nomination faces its toughest test yet\">deeply troubling&#038;rdquo<\/a>; and called it a &ldquo;distraction.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4456909\/doj-failed-side-quests-undercut-trump-accountability\/\">DOJ&rsquo;s failed side quests could undercut Trump&rsquo;s accountability message<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4458549\/pentagon-policy-chief-rejects-us-great-empire\/\">Pentagon policy chief rejects US as &#8216;great empire&#8217; in Munich push for &lsquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pentagon-policy-chief-rejects-us-as-great-empire-in-munich\/\" title=\"Pentagon policy chief rejects US as &#039;great empire&#039; in Munich\">stability model&#038;rsquo<\/a>;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4457677\/south-latin-american-countries-bend-to-trump-curb-support-cuba\/\">South and Latin American countries bend to Trump in moves to curb support for Cuba<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;But as I&rsquo;m traveling around the country, as you&rsquo;re traveling around the country, you meet people, they still believe in decency, courtesy, kindness, and there&rsquo;s this sort of clown show that&rsquo;s happening in social media and on television,&rdquo; Obama said on Brian Tyler Cohen&rsquo;s podcast. &ldquo;And what is true is that there doesn&rsquo;t seem to be any shame about this among people who used to feel like you had to have some sort of decorum and a sense of propriety and respect for the office, right? So that&rsquo;s been lost.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/premium\/4448073\/american-cultural-rebound\/\"><strong>HUGO GURDON: AMERICAN DECLINE, OR A REBOUND?<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>    <iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/uI-hgSE5QIw?si=5RC8G_a3J3MpHzji\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>    <\/p>\n<p>Obama also said the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4457990\/democrats-demand-meeting-with-bondi-over-spying-on-epstein-file-access\/\">Democratic Party<\/a> did come off as &ldquo;scolds&rdquo; to voters on certain issues, describing this as &ldquo;virtue-signaling&rdquo; that pushes voters away. He added that in order to create a welcoming environment, the party&rsquo;s message needs to be &ldquo;none of us are perfect,&rdquo; something he said the party needs to recover.<\/p>\n<p>In comparison, the former president said the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4456952\/midterm-elections-give-vance-chance-build-capital\/\">Republican Party<\/a> conducts &ldquo;the mean, angry, exclusive, us\/them, divisive politics,&rdquo; whereas Democrats are &ldquo;coming together.&rdquo; He cited the recent Super Bowl halftime performance by <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/in_focus\/4447991\/bad-bunny-halftime-show-not-for-you-or-me\/\">Bad Bunny<\/a>, who gave a &ldquo;smart&rdquo; performance by demonstrating &ldquo;what a community is.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;And people who did not speak Spanish and have never been to Puerto Rico, they saw that elderly woman serving a drink and the kids dancing with their grandmas, and it was intergenerational,&rdquo; Obama said. &ldquo;And it was a reminder of what Dr. King called &lsquo;the beloved community&rsquo; can look like, which is not perfect, and it&rsquo;s messy sometimes, and I guarantee you, not all of those lyrics were probably politically correct, and if you translated them. You know, people are complicated, but there was a sense of, &lsquo;All right, there&rsquo;s room for everybody here,&rsquo; and that, I think, is where we win.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4456850\/democrats-epstein-class-attack-trump\/\"><strong>DEMOCRATS TEST &lsquo;EPSTEIN CLASS&rsquo; ATTACK LINE AGAINST TRUMP&rsquo;S ORBIT<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><em>Washington Examiner<\/em> Executive Editor Bob Cusack said last week the Republican Party is <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4456280\/controversy-trump-obama-video-not-go-away-before-november-bob-cusack\/\">off to &ldquo;a very bad start&rdquo;<\/a> ahead of the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4454297\/democrats-affordability-fundraising-gop-midterms\/\">2026 elections<\/a>, where the party is vying to keep its razor-thin majority in the House of Representatives. He predicted the controversy from Trump&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/controversy-from-trumps-obama-video-wont-go-away-before-november-bob-cusack\/\" title=\"... from ...&#039;s ... ... won&#039;t &#039;go away&#039; before November: Bob Cusack\">video won&#038;rsquo<\/a>;t go away before November, as people will want to know the identity of the staffer who posted the video.<\/p>\n<p>Trump <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4449771\/trump-refuses-apologize-video-obama-monkeys\/\">said on Feb. 6 <\/a>that he did not watch the full video but declined to apologize for sharing it on his Truth Social account. However, he admitted the depiction of the Obamas was &ldquo;some kind of a picture that people don&rsquo;t like,&rdquo; and he &ldquo;wouldn&rsquo;t like it either.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Obama: respect for office faded after Trump racist vid<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2632,"featured_media":2570169,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AP25305737370199.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[5315,50526,3634],"class_list":["post-2570168","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-obama","tag-racism-2","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AP25305737370199.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2570168","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2632"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2570168"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2570168\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2570172,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2570168\/revisions\/2570172"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2570169"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2570168"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2570168"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2570168"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}