Storytimes Newspapers

  President Donald Trump has declined to apologize for sharing — and later deleting — a controversial video on his Truth Social platform that featured a racist depiction of former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes. The video, posted late Thursday evening, included an abrupt animation where the Obamas' faces were superimposed onto animated ape bodies in a jungle scene, set to the tune of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." It was part of a longer clip that appeared to originate from a pro-Trump or MAGA-related account, possibly as a meme or parody. The post sparked swift condemnation across political lines, with critics labeling it a blatant use of a historical racist trope that has long been used to dehumanize people of African descent. Even some Republicans, including Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, publicly called for its removal, describing it as potentially the "most racist thing" seen from the White House. By Friday morning, the W...