Former United States President Barack Obama has criticised the allegedly growing breakdown in political decency in the country following the circulation of a controversial video shared on the social media account of President Donald Trump.
Gatekeepers News reports that Obama made the remarks during an interview released on Saturday, marking his first public response since a video was posted portraying him and his wife, Michelle Obama, as animated apes.
The clip, which also included references to Trump’s repeated claims about the 2020 presidential election, ended with their faces digitally placed on cartoon ape figures, a move that sparked widespread outrage across the political spectrum.
Civil rights organisations, lawmakers from both major parties, and public commentators condemned the imagery, describing it as racist, demeaning, and unacceptable in modern political discourse. Many critics said the content deepens division and undermines the dignity of public office.
The post remained online for several hours before it was eventually deleted. White House officials later explained that the video had been uploaded by a staff member and removed after concerns were raised internally. Trump, however, told reporters that he had not seen the offensive portion of the video before it was shared and declined to apologise.
Speaking on political podcaster Brian Tyler Cohen’s programme, Obama described the current political climate as a “clown show,” lamenting what he called the loss of shame, restraint, and respect traditionally associated with leadership roles.
“The majority of the American people find this behaviour deeply troubling,” Obama said.
He added, “What is true is there doesn’t seem to be any shame about this among people who used to feel like you had to have some sense of propriety and respect for the office.”
Obama stressed that while such provocative content may attract attention online, it distracts from pressing national issues such as economic stability, healthcare, public safety, and democratic integrity.
He noted that many citizens still uphold values of decency, courtesy, and kindness, despite the increasingly hostile tone of political exchanges on social media.
He urged Americans to demand higher standards from public officials, warning that tolerating such conduct could further weaken democratic norms and erode public trust in governance.
