What Obama Said About Trump's "Monkey Video"

"I do not believe the American people support this"
Targets ICE's hardline immigration crackdown as "serious and dangerous"

"The rogue behavior of federal government agents is serious and dangerous. This is not the America we believe in."

Former U.S. President Barack Obama recently criticized the hardline enforcement operation carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minnesota, while also hitting back at President Donald Trump's racist attacks against him.

Donald Trump (right), the U.S. president, attends the state funeral of former President Jimmy Carter at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., on January 9, 2025, and is seen talking with former President Barack Obama. AFP Yonhap News

According to CBS and other U.S. media on the 14th (local time), Obama made these remarks during a podcast interview, referring to the large-scale immigration enforcement operation conducted in Minnesota and the fatal shooting that occurred in the process.

Obama said, "ICE deployed more than 2,000 agents but carried out the operation without clear guidelines or training," adding, "There were cases where residents were forcibly dragged out of their homes, parents were lured using their young children, and tear gas was used on crowds that had not engaged in illegal activity."

Obama also addressed President Trump having posted a "monkey Obama" video, saying, "I traveled around the country and met many people who still believe in decency, courtesy, and kindness," and added, "I do not believe the American people support this kind of discourse." He indirectly criticized Trump further by saying, "The answer will come from the American people."

Earlier, on the 5th, Trump posted a video on his own social networking service, Truth Social, claiming that the 2020 presidential election was rigged. At the end of the video, there was a scene in which the faces of Obama and his wife were superimposed onto the bodies of monkeys, sparking accusations of racism.

As the controversy grew, the White House deleted the post the next day and explained that it was "a mistake by the staff member in charge of managing the account."