Washington: Former US President Barack Obama has expressed concern over a video shared by President Donald Trump that depicts him and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes, describing it as "deeply troubling."

According to Anadolu Agency, the incident came to light after Obama was questioned about the video by Brian Tyler Cohen during an interview. Cohen highlighted the image as a reflection of the deterioration in public discourse, asking Obama how society can recover from such a decline. Obama emphasized that while this behavior garners attention and serves as a distraction, the majority of Americans still value decency, courtesy, and kindness.

Obama further elaborated that there seems to be a "clown show" taking place on social media and television, lamenting the apparent loss of respect for decorum and the office of the presidency. He noted that individuals who once adhered to propriety now seem unbothered by such behavior.

The White House initially defended the post, with spokesperson Karoline Leavitt dismissing the criticism as "fake outrage." However, the video was removed from Trump's Truth Social account hours later, with an anonymous official attributing its posting to a staffer.

The video, apparently generated using AI and set to "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," placed the Obamas' faces on ape bodies. This act perpetuated offensive stereotypes against Black people and occurred during Black History Month, a period dedicated to celebrating the achievements and history of Black Americans.

The video was met with widespread criticism, including from members of Trump's own party. Although Trump later condemned the video, he refused to apologize, attributing the incident to a staffer's actions. He maintained that he was unaware of the video's offensive content and insisted he "didn't make a mistake."