Bill Maher Blasts Trump Over Racist Obama Ape Video
Comedian Bill Maher delivered a scathing critique of former President Donald Trump during his opening monologue on Friday's broadcast of Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO. Maher's remarks came in response to Trump sharing a deeply offensive video on his Truth Social platform late Thursday night.
Trump's Controversial Post Sparks Outrage
The video in question featured an artificial intelligence-generated image depicting former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama superimposed on apes. This imagery carries profoundly racist connotations, with a long history rooted in eugenics and Jim Crow-era discrimination against Black people.
Maher directly connected Trump's action to comedian Roseanne Barr's similar controversy in 2018. "Trump did a Roseanne," Maher declared, referencing Barr's racist post that resulted in the cancellation of her television show revival.
White House Defense Called 'Rather Lame'
While Maher refused to show the offensive video on his program, he thoroughly dismantled the White House's attempted justification for the post. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had claimed the clip was part of a meme video depicting Trump as "King of the Jungle" and Democrats as characters from The Lion King.
"There are two things a little wrong with this," Maher countered. "There are no apes in The Lion King. And two, if it's a cartoon character, that's okay? That's a rule now?"
The comedian further mocked the administration's explanation that Trump had accidentally shared the video when he meant to merely "like" it, calling this defense "rather lame."
Widespread Condemnation Across Party Lines
Trump has not publicly apologized for sharing the racist content, but the video has drawn condemnation from figures across the political spectrum, including some of his traditional allies.
Senator Tim Scott, the only Black Republican in the Senate and longtime Trump supporter, wrote on X: "Praying it was fake because it's the most racist thing I've seen out of this White House."
Utah Senator John Custis, another GOP member, called the clip "blatantly racist and inexcusable," adding that "it should never have been posted or left published for so long."
California Governor Gavin Newsom's press office demanded: "Every single Republican must denounce this. Now."
Hypocrisy and Legal Threats
Maher highlighted what he called hypocrisy from the Trump administration, noting that while Trump passed off his racist post as a joke, he's simultaneously suing comedian Trevor Noah for a joke made during the Emmy Awards.
Noah had joked that artists wanted to win Song of the Year "almost as much as Trump wants Greenland," adding, "which makes sense because Epstein's island is gone, he needs a new one to hang out with Bill Clinton."
Trump responded by calling Noah a "poor, pathetic, talentless, dope of an MC" and threatening legal action.
Conflicting Explanations Emerge
A White House insider told the Daily Mail that the offensive clip was posted accidentally, claiming it was "an obvious screen recording" where "the boomer who posted it on X didn't trim off the excess when the next reel started to auto play."
The official maintained that "it was never seen by the president" before sharing.
However, Trump offered a different explanation to reporters on Friday night, stating: "What I saw in the beginning was really strong. It was about fraudulent elections. Anytime I see that stuff and it's credible, you put it up. I didn't do it. This was done by someone else."
Maher concluded his monologue with a broader critique, calling the United States a "sleazy" country as he joined the growing chorus of voices condemning the president's promotion of racist tropes.
