Hakeem Jeffries blasts 'unhinged' Trump over AI video of Obamas as apes

WASHINGTON, DC: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries delivered a furious and unusually blunt rebuke of President Donald Trump after a racist AI-generated video depicting former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes circulated on Truth Social.

The post, which remained online for roughly 12 hours, was deleted on Friday, Jan 6, following intense backlash.

Jeffries spoke out Friday afternoon in an Instagram Video, rejecting White House claims that the post was accidental or misinterpreted, and accusing Trump of intentional racism and moral decay.

Hakeem Jeffries uses rare profanity to condemn Trump

Jeffries did not mince words as he addressed the controversy, using language rarely heard from the House minority leader.

“F**k Donald Trump and his vile, racist and malignant behavior,” Jeffries said, calling the video “disgusting” and dismissing White House explanations as spin.

The Democratic leader said the imagery was deliberate and reflected a deeper pattern rather than a mistake.

“This guy is an unhinged bottom feeder,” Jeffries added. “President Obama and Michelle Obama are brilliant, caring and patriotic Americans. They represent the best of this country.”

Jeffries went on to directly challenge Republican leadership, urging them to take a clear stand against Trump.

“It’s time for [Senate Majority Leader] John Thune, [House Speaker] Mike Johnson and Republicans to denounce this serial fraudster who’s sitting at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue pretending to be the President of the United States,” he said.

Video sparks backlash before being deleted

The since-deleted video appeared on Trump’s personal Truth Social account and remained live for approximately 12 hours. In the clip, Barack and Michelle Obama were shown as dancing apes, with their heads AI-generated onto jungle-set chimpanzee bodies.

The video was set to “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” by The Tokens and included other political figures portrayed as animals. Hillary Clinton was depicted as a warthog, while New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani appeared as a hyena.

As criticism mounted online and within political circles, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt attempted to downplay the outrage.

She dismissed the reaction as “fake outrage” and claimed the clip was simply an “Internet meme video depicting President Trump as the King of the Jungle.”

Her explanation failed to calm the backlash and instead fueled further criticism.

White House shifts blame as Democrats demand accountability

CNN White House correspondent Alayna Treene reported Friday that the post had been deleted and that a senior White House official said a staffer had “erroneously made the post.”

Other reports claimed the White House insisted Trump had nothing to do with the video and had not seen it before it went live.

Jeffries rejected those explanations outright, saying the responsibility ultimately rests with the president.

He was not alone in condemning the video. Gov Gavin Newsom’s office also weighed in, posting a sharp response on X.

“Disgusting behavior by the President,” the statement read. “Every single Republican must denounce this. Now.”