In a post on his X handle, Obama wished Team USA—competing in the 2026 Winter Olympics—all the best as the Games get underway.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Former US President Barack Obama has declined to comment on a controversial video shared by President Donald Trump—which portrayed him and his wife, Michelle, as apes—choosing instead to remain silent on the matter during his first public statement since the incident.
Taking to his X (formerly Twitter) page on Saturday, the 44th US president snubbed the video, which had sparked widespread outrage and accusations of racism.
Instead, Obama chose to wish Team USA the best of luck as the 2026 Winter Olympics get underway.
“To all the athletes representing @TeamUSA: I’m so proud of you. Your talent and perseverance have brought you to this moment, and Michelle and I will be joining Americans from across the country cheering you on,” Obama wrote.
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The video, which surfaced on Friday morning and depicted the Obamas in a derogatory manner, was shared via President Trump’s Truth Social platform.
At the end of the clip, the former US president’s and his wife’s faces appear abruptly on the bodies of apes without explanation, accompanied by the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”. The video then cuts back to footage involving election conspiracy theories.
The post generated significant backlash, which eventually prompted the White House to delete the video.
Meanwhile, Trump has told reporters that he will not apologise for the racist animation, insisting he did not see the entire video before it was posted.
He claimed he only saw the first part of the since-deleted clip, which focused on debunked claims regarding the 2020 election.
