Barack Obama’s brutal reply to Trump after racist video depicting him and Michelle as apes

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt tried to downplay the situation, telling TMZ to “stop the fake outrage and report on something today that actually matters to the American public.” Even some members of Trump’s own party voiced their disapproval of the post.

Republican Senator Tim Scott labeled it “the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House.”

Trump, 79, has declined to apologize, asserting that the video was created by an unnamed staffer and insisting, “No, I didn’t make a mistake. I mean I look at a lot of thousands of things. I looked at the beginning of it. It was fine. I guess it was a take off on The Lion King and certainly it was a very strong post in terms of voter fraud.”

Obama’s critique extended beyond the viral video. He also condemned actions taken by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during the Trump administration, describing them as “deeply concerning” and “dangerous.”

“A call to action for every American”

He pointed out the federal enforcement in Minneapolis-Saint Paul, stating, “We must acknowledge the extraordinary nature of ICE’s actions in Minneapolis, St. Paul, where federal agents, including ICE agents, were deployed without clear guidelines or training, forcibly removing individuals from their homes, even using five-year-olds to lure their parents, and employing tear gas on crowds that were simply present and not violating any laws.”

Obama connected the immigration enforcement to larger issues concerning U.S. values, mentioning recent incidents such as the death of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. He described it as “a devastating tragedy” and “a wake-up call for every American, irrespective of political affiliation, that many of our fundamental values as a nation are increasingly threatened.” He remarked that the explanations provided by the Trump administration regarding Pretti and Renee Good, a 37-year-old woman who was killed by an immigration officer, “lack any substantial investigation.”

Considering the political atmosphere and the public’s influence, Obama stated, “Ultimately, the American people will determine their feelings about these actions when they go to the polls… people still hold onto decency, respect, and kindness. We will resist and counter with the truth.”