White House Insider Points Finger at 'Boomer' Aide for Racist Obama Ape Video
A White House insider has attributed the posting of an embarrassing and widely condemned video depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes to a 'boomer' aide who allegedly failed to notice the offensive clip. The video was shared on President Donald Trump's official Truth Social account just before midnight on Thursday, triggering immediate bipartisan fury and accusations of racism.
Controversial Clip and Immediate Backlash
The video in question, which lasted one minute and two seconds in total, featured a brief AI-generated segment showing the faces of the former President and First Lady superimposed on dancing apes. This portion comprised only about two seconds of the footage, appearing at the end of a longer reel about elections that played via autoplay. Despite its brevity, the imagery provoked swift and severe criticism from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a statement on Friday morning attempting to downplay the incident. She described the video as part of an internet meme portraying President Trump as the 'King of the Jungle' and Democrats as characters from The Lion King. Leavitt urged the public and media to 'stop the fake outrage and report on something today that actually matters to the American public.'
Deletion and Attribution to an Unnamed Aide
However, the White House subsequently deleted the original post from Trump's Truth Social account. Officials then claimed that an unnamed aide to the president was responsible for publishing the video, asserting that Trump himself had not seen the clip before it was posted. This explanation emerged hours after Leavitt's initial defense, highlighting the administration's shifting response to the controversy.
According to a White House insider who spoke to the Daily Mail, the aide who posted the video was a 'boomer' who did not spot the Obama clip at the end of the election video. The insider explained, 'It's an obvious screen recording and the boomer who posted it on X didn't trim off the excess when the next reel started to auto play. The aide didn't notice that one second portion at the end of the video and it was never seen by the president.'
Limited Access and Speculation Over Responsibility
Reports indicate that access to President Trump's personal Truth Social account is restricted to a small number of White House staff. Among those reported to have access are top Trump aides Dan Scavino and Natalie Harp. A source familiar with the situation told Semafor that Scavino was not responsible for the post. When the Daily Mail inquired whether Harp was the aide behind the controversial upload, the White House did not respond.
Bipartisan Condemnation from Lawmakers
The video elicited furious reactions from prominent Republican figures, many of whom openly criticized the post as racist and beneath the dignity of the White House. Republican Senator Tim Scott, a close ally of Trump who is black, expressed his dismay on social media, stating, 'Praying it was fake because it's the most racist thing I've seen out of this White House.' His office did not respond to requests for further comment from the Daily Mail.
Florida Congressman Byron Donalds, another black Republican, reportedly called the White House to convey his displeasure with the 'racist' post. Utah Senator John Custis, also a member of the GOP, condemned the clip as 'blatantly racist and inexcusable,' adding that 'it should never have been posted or left published for so long.' Scores of Democratic lawmakers joined in condemning the video, underscoring the widespread bipartisan outrage.
The incident has sparked a significant debate over social media oversight and accountability within the White House, raising questions about the vetting processes for content posted on official presidential accounts. As the controversy continues to unfold, the focus remains on the administration's handling of the situation and the broader implications for political discourse in the United States.
