Obama

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Former United States President Barack Obama has criticised the state of political communication in the country after a controversial video shared on the social media account of President Donald Trump portrayed him and his wife, Michelle Obama, as monkeys.

Obama spoke during a podcast interview with political commentator Brian Tyler Cohen. The discussion marked his first public remarks since the video surfaced online. He condemned the tone of modern political exchanges and described it as degrading.

“[What] is true is that there doesn’t seem to be any shame about this among people who used to feel like you had to have some sort of decorum and a sense of propriety and respect for the office, right? That’s been lost,” Obama said.

The one-minute video was posted on Trump’s Truth Social account on February 5. It promoted conspiracy theories surrounding the 2020 presidential election. Near the end of the clip, the Obamas’ faces were placed on monkey bodies for a brief moment. The post triggered criticism from across the American political landscape.

During the interview, Cohen referenced the development in political rhetoric.

“The discourse has devolved into a level of cruelty that we haven’t seen before … Just days ago, Donald Trump put a picture of you, your face on an ape’s body,” Cohen said.

“And so again, we’ve seen the devolution of the discourse. How do we come back from a place that we have fallen into?” he added.

Obama did not mention Trump directly in his response. He, however, noted that many citizens were disturbed by such conduct. He suggested the situation could negatively affect Republicans in forthcoming midterm elections. Trump later told reporters he supported the main claims in the video about election fraud. He said he did not see the offensive segment at the end of the clip.

The video, believed to be AI-generated, used the song The Lion Sleeps Tonight, popularised by Disney’s The Lion King. It appeared during Black History Month, a period set aside to celebrate the achievements and history of Black Americans.

Obama also addressed immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota. He compared the conduct of federal agents to practices seen under authoritarian systems. He cited two fatal shootings linked to the crackdown.

He described the actions as the kind “in the past we’ve seen in authoritarian countries and we’ve seen in dictatorships”.

Thousands of federal officers, including personnel from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, participated in raids and arrests. Authorities said the missions targeted criminals.

“The rogue behaviour of agents of the federal government is deeply concerning and dangerous,” Obama said.

He nevertheless expressed optimism about civic resistance.

“Not just randomly, but in a systematic, organised way, citizens saying, ‘this is not the America we believe in, and we’re going to fight back, and we’re going to push back with the truth and with cameras and with peaceful protests,” Obama said.

The operations sparked protests in Minnesota and drew criticism nationwide. Disputes over immigration enforcement funding also led to a partial shutdown involving the Department of Homeland Security, as lawmakers debated oversight and reforms.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

United States President Donald Trump has drawn widespread condemnation after posting a controversial video on social media that features an AI-generated scene portraying former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as monkeys.

The video surfaced late Thursday during a flurry of activity on Trump’s Truth Social account. Within less than one hour, the president uploaded dozens of posts on the platform.

One of the materials shared was a compilation video that repeated his long-standing claims that the 2020 presidential election was manipulated. Those allegations have been dismissed in court and through official reviews.

Close to the one-minute point of the footage, an altered segment appears. It shows the Obamas’ faces placed on monkeys’ bodies. The background audio features the song ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’.

Trump reposted the same video twice. The timing fueled further anger online because the incident occurred during Black History Month.

Users on X and other social media platforms reacted strongly. Many described the clip as racist and degrading. Some critics argued that the post reinforced racist stereotypes historically used against Black people.

The controversial upload formed part of a broader late-night posting spree. During the same period, Trump again promoted discredited narratives about widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election, despite the absence of supporting evidence.

In a separate post that drew attention, Trump shared a screenshot bearing the message, “This can be a great option if things don’t work out,” alongside a fight scene video of martial artist Bruce Lee. He did not clarify the meaning of the message, leaving observers to speculate.

The uproar followed renewed scrutiny of Trump’s remarks about the U.S. electoral process. Earlier in the week, he suggested that Republicans should assume control of election administration in several areas and proposed federal involvement in voting oversight.

“The Republicans should say, ‘We want to take over,’” Trump reportedly said during a conservative podcast released Monday.

During the same conversation with former deputy FBI director Dan Bongino, he added that elections should be “nationalised.”

However, in an interview with NBC News correspondent Tom Llamas on Wednesday, Trump attempted to retract that position.

“I didn’t say nationalise,” he claimed, even though recordings of the earlier remarks circulated widely.

The White House later tried to ease tensions sparked by the statements. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president remains loyal to the U.S. Constitution. She added that he believes previous elections were affected by “fraud and irregularities,” although no verified evidence supports the claim.

Only hours after that clarification, Trump appeared to reinforce his stance while speaking in the Oval Office.

“The federal government should get involved,” he said.

The developments have continued to generate debate across political and civic circles in the United States. Critics argue that both the video controversy and the election comments raise concerns about political rhetoric and democratic norms.

By Uzair Adam

Former US President Barack Obama has joined Kamala Harris’s campaign, rallying support in Pennsylvania, a crucial swing state, as the 2024 presidential election approaches.

Obama is set to appear in Pittsburgh, encouraging early voting by mail or in-person as Harris faces a tough battle against Republican candidate Donald Trump.

Trump, who campaigned in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Detroit, Michigan, this week, criticized Harris’s economic policies while emphasizing energy independence.

Harris will campaign in Nevada next, targeting Latino voters, while monitoring the impact of Hurricane Milton, which hit Florida.

Obama, seen as a key figure in energizing Black and young voters, will campaign for Harris in seven battleground states, where the election could be decided.

His message focuses on the importance of early voting, a practice traditionally favored by Democrats.

By Muhammad Sabiu

Erik ten Hag, the manager of Manchester United, will intensify his efforts to bolster his team with a new goalkeeper before the summer transfer window ends in another 11 days.

Reports suggest that the Benfica player Odysseas Vlachodimos is a target for Ten Hag.

Vlachodimos is reportedly interested in moving to Old Trafford, but the Red Devils may have to fork up $51 million, according to The UK Mirror.

Ten Hag wants to bring in an assistant for Andre Onana because Dean Henderson is anticipated to leave United before the deadline day.

Currently out with an injury is Tom Heaton, the third-choice shot-stopper.

Last Sunday, in their second league game of the season, United fell to Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 thanks to two goals conceded by Onana.