In early February, controversy erupted after Donald Trump shared an A.I.-generated video on Truth Social that drew widespread criticism online. The video portrayed Barack Obama and Michelle Obama using imagery many viewers described as racially offensive. The post quickly sparked backlash across social media, with critics condemning the content.
The situation intensified when White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the incident, characterizing the clip as an “internet meme video” and defending its intent. Despite the explanation, reactions remained sharply divided, with commentators and political figures debating the broader implications of the post.
Amid the discussion, former President Obama addressed the climate of political discourse during an appearance on Brian Tyler Cohen’s podcast, No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen. Responding to a question about the normalization of harsh rhetoric, Obama suggested that while inflammatory content may attract attention, many Americans continue to value civility.
“It is true that it gets attention. It’s true that it’s a distraction,” Obama said. “But as I’m traveling around the country … you meet people — they still believe in decency, courtesy, kindness.”
Obama went on to express concern about what he described as a decline in political decorum, noting that behavior once viewed as inappropriate now often unfolds publicly across digital platforms.
The disputed video, posted on February 5, was removed shortly after it appeared. Nonetheless, it generated significant reaction from media outlets, public officials, and online users. Trump later stated that he had not watched the full video before sharing it. No formal apology was issued.
