Even Republicans are OUTRAGED After Trump Posts Racist Video of Obamas

What this episode is about

Trump faced backlash from both parties after sharing a racist video depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes, leading to outrage even among some Republican leaders, including Senator Tim Scott, who called it the "most racist thing" from the White House. The incident prompted a swift response from the White House, which claimed it was posted in error by a staff member and called for an end to the "fake outrage."

Key takeaways

• When memes sink to the level of racism, it's no longer just 'fake outrage'.
• Trump's late-night rants reveal more about his priorities than his policies ever could.
• Even GOP voices now call out Trump's blatant racism; a shift, but are they sincere?
• If a staffer posted this at midnight, what were they thinking: 'Let’s troll the Obamas'?
• Racism drips like a leaky faucet; Trump’s antics are routine, but voters remain alarmingly unfazed.

Who speaks in this episode?

• Tommy Vietor (Host) · 8 min speaking
• John Lovett (Host) · 4 min speaking
• Caroline Levit (Guest)
• Tim Scott (Guest)
• Unnamed Trump Voter (Guest) · 1 min speaking

What is discussed, and when

1. 0:00 – 3:00: Donald Trump, Barack Obama, Caroline Levit, Tim Scott
2. 3:00 – 6:00: Truth Social, Barack Obama, J.D. Vance, Donald Trump
3. 6:00 – 9:00: Ziotics, Michelle Obama, New Mexico
4. 9:00 – 12:00: Donald Trump, Truth Social, J.D. Vance, New Mexico
5. 12:00 – 13:20: Tim Scott

Notable quotes from "Even Republicans are OUTRAGED After Trump Posts Racist Video of Obamas"

• All right, Tommy. the president was doing his usual middle of the night posting routine and chose to share this video with the world which among other things depicts Barack and Michelle.

  about Donald Trump · at 0:00

• The most prominent black Republican politician, very close ally of Donald Trump. he tweeted that the video was quote the most racist thing I've seen out of this White House and…

  about Tim Scott · at 1:46

• Yeah, JD and Marco are in Milan right now at the Olympics, but I was just waiting for JD Vance to tell all of us that like how come on guys, it's a light-hearted joke by the president and you should be ashamed of yourselves for.

  about J.D. Vance · at 3:43

• He does racist all the time. Let's not forget what else happens on Tree Social. He's like called he's he's he's called for like the execution of his opponents. He said that…

  about Barack Obama · at 5:22

• Worth it. Same. Ready to try it? Go to ziotics.com/crookednews now. You'll get 15% off your first order when you use Crooked News at checkout.

  about Ziotics · at 7:14

• I did. that was sucked into the stupidity of creating jobs and there are no more jobs in New Mexico. Things are worse than they were before. You cannot find a primary care position.

  about New Mexico · at 8:41

• Yeah. If you're posting memes on Truth Social, you are the fringe of the fringe. but I just before we walked in here, I saw a clip from Sean Ryan, who's a very influential podcaster. It's.

  about Truth Social · at 10:49

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

• Donald Trump — Person · Primary referenced subject (criticized political figure) · 6 mentions · first at 0:08
  Central figure in the discussion: hosts describe and condemn a racist meme video shared from his account and connect it to broader patterns of rhetoric and policy.
• Barack Obama — Person · Referenced target of racist content / political opponent · 3 mentions · first at 0:08
  Discussed as a target of the meme video and of Trump's broader attacks; used to illustrate racism and escalation in political rhetoric.
• Caroline Levit — Person · Referenced spokesperson (official response) · 2 mentions · first at 0:38
  Quoted as the White House press secretary providing the initial defense of the video; her statements become a focal point for claims of inconsistency and accountability.
  Okay. okay. So, here was the official White House response from press secretary Caroline Levit. Quote, This is from an internet meme video depicting President Trump as the king of the jungle and Democrats as characters from.
• J.D. Vance — Person · Referenced political figure (criticized for posture/response) · 3 mentions · first at 3:26
  Used as an example of Republican alignment with far-right media dynamics; hosts criticize him for not confronting extremists while reacting strongly to mainstream critics.
• Tim Scott — Person · Referenced Republican critic / validator of condemnation · 2 mentions · first at 1:41
  Cited as an early and prominent Republican voice condemning the video; his reaction is used to show cross-party recognition of racism and to highlight intra-party tension.
• Michelle Obama — Person · Referenced target of racist content · 2 mentions · first at 0:08
  Mentioned as also depicted in the racist meme video; her inclusion underscores the dehumanizing nature of the content being discussed.
  I am a registered Republican voted for the president supported him. But I really want to apologize. I'm looking at this awful picture of the Obamas. What an embarrassment to our country. All this man does is tell lies.
• Tucker Carlson — Person · Referenced media figure (example of far-right media influence) · 1 mention · first at 3:20
  Mentioned as part of a broader critique that Republicans embrace far-right media figures who push racist ideas, reinforcing the episode's argument about normalization.
  That are racist, doing things that are racist. And the party's embrace of far-right media figures who are themselves very racist and pushing racist ideas like Tucker Carlson, Nick Fuentes. it's remember like JD Vance.

Concepts & topics

• Truth Social — Concept · Key argument · 3 mentions · first at 4:17
  Discussed as the platform where controversial content was shared by the president, highlighting issues of racism and misinformation.

Places & events

• New Mexico — Place · Setting · 2 mentions · first at 8:43
  Mentioned in the context of a voter's dissatisfaction with the current economic and healthcare situation in the state.

Sponsors

• Ziotics — Product · Sponsor · 2 mentions · first at 6:36
  Promoted as a probiotic drink designed to mitigate the effects of alcohol consumption, featured in an ad read during the podcast.

Full transcript with timestamps

0:00 All right, Tommy. Uh, the president was doing his usual middle of the night posting routine uh and chose to share this video with the world uh which among other things depicts Barack and Michelle Obama as apes. Let's watch.

0:31 Okay. Uh, okay. So, here was the official White House response from press secretary Caroline Levit. Quote, "This is from an internet meme video depicting President Trump as the king of the jungle and Democrats as characters from the Lion King. Please stop the fake outrage and report on something today that actually matters to the American public. Tommy, take it away.

0:56 Well, um, a lot of people pointed out that there were no apes in the Lion King. That's obviously Uh, an hour ago they were saying, "Stop with the fake outrage and then 10 minutes ago you were recording this at like 10:50 a.m. Uh, the White House said this was erroneously posted by a staffer and they're going to delete it." So, look, I I wanted to talk about this today because I I worry sometimes that there's been a bit of an overcorrection by the Democratic party in 2016. I think we all learned that focusing on Trump's offensive words and outrageous comments was less effective than focusing on the things he was doing. Right? Voters care much more about the way he's harming them in their lives. However, this is so vile and racist that I do think it's important to call it out. And I was glad to see some Republicans do so. There was what? Uh, Senator Scott, Mike, Senator Scott was the first one out, you know,

1:46 the most prominent black Republican politician, very close ally of Donald Trump. Uh, he tweeted that the video was quote the most racist thing I've seen out of this White House and urged them to take it down. The Republic other Republicans not only said take it down, but said like he should apologize.

2:00 Yeah. And, you know, Tim Scott's comments there are telling because it's the most racist thing, not the only racist thing you've seen out of this White House. And I think, you know, look, I don't care if a staffer did it. I don't care if Trump didn't watch the video and he just retruthed it. Like, first of all, why is the president posting from 10:30 6:00 p.m. Eastern to midnight? Like, he should have something better to do.

2:19 And if he's not, and if a staffer is doing it, why is a staffer posting from his account in the middle of the night,

2:24 right? So, like, that clearly is just a lie. Trump obviously shared this and now they're embarrassed. Um, it is sick. It is gross. Um, it's also still not as racist as their current refugee policy, which says that only white South Africans are allowed into this country.

2:37 Forget about the refugee policy. I mean, yes, you're correct. Um, they are also stopping people on the street because of their accent or because of how they look and uh arresting them, assaulting them, throwing them in some cases in uh disgusting detention centers for weeks at a time just because of the even even though they're American citizens and legal residents, just because of their accent and the way they look.

3:00 Yeah. And like this man is just graded on such a curve right now. like any other president in the history of this country posting something like this will be met with universal outrage and condemnation. It would be Republican, it would be Democrat, it would be all of the above. But there's this steady kind of drip drip drip of Trump saying things that are racist, doing things that are racist. And the party's embrace of far-right media figures who are themselves very racist and pushing racist ideas like Tucker Carlson, Nick Fuentes. Um it's remember like JD Vance.

3:29 Nick Fuentes, a neo-Nazi, attacked JD Vance's family and wife. JD Vance wouldn't respond to him, but he gets all pissy and yells at anyone on Twitter who is, you know, from like the center left who dares to criticize him or Trump in any way.

3:43 Yeah, JD and Marco are uh in Milan right now at the Olympics, but I was just waiting for JD Vance to to tell all of us that like how come on guys, it's a light-hearted joke by the president and you should be ashamed of yourselves for taking it seriously. Here's the thing. Let's I want to take the White House at their word on this one just just for fun.

4:01 Sure, why not? Okay. So, um you took it down. Why did you take it down? Because Caroline Levit said it was fake outrage, right?

4:08 So, is Caroline Levit going to explain why it's fake outrage, but also that it should have been taken down because it was a staffer that did it erroneously. Also, is that staffer who has access to the president's truth social account and is posting racist memes in the middle of the night? So, who is that staffer? And obviously, that staffer is going to be fired right?

4:25 Yeah. I mean, because they took it down. So, like let us know who the staffer is.

4:28 I think in the past Trump has said that only Dan Scavenino, his like former golf caddyy turned uh whatever the he is, he's like deputy chief of staff or something now. It's like a big job was the only one who had access to the truth social accounts. We don't really know. Like there's been lots of reporting that Trump is very personally invested in the insane that he posts on Truth Social. He'll dictate, you know, his truths to his staffers who will then type them out and send them for him. So, I just like we can take him at his word.

4:53 You're right. It's incoherent. But I just I don't believe for a second that he didn't share this himself. Uh and I don't think he gets a pass for maybe not seeing the part that was especially racist. Well, I feel I have a feeling that we haven't uh seen the worst of this yet because now Trump's backed into a corner and now someone's going to ask him about it and even though they took it down, you think he's going to say, "Oh god, that was a real mistake."

5:16 Yep. He'll probably just share it again. He'll share or he'll Yeah. He'll say like, "Well, Barack Obama and like yes, he does racist all the time. Let's not forget what else happens on Tree Social. He's like called he's he's he's called for like the execution of uh his opponents. He said that Barack Obama is is should be found guilty of treason and killed, you know, like it's not the it's not the first uh or even the most horrific attack on Barack Obama from from Donald Trump.

5:40 Yeah. And it's also, you know, that comes in a in a spree of retweeting that includes like the craziest election lies. And you know, back in the day, I would laugh when I would read right-wing figures who were like, "Oh, uh, Nicholas Maduro and the ghost of Hiko Chavez down in Venezuela stole the 2020 election or that, you know, it was like Italian laser beams with Chinese oversightes and the ballots of cash money." But like, you know, now he's sending Tulsi Gabbard to Georgia to uh raid election offices. So, it all takes on another level of of of scary truth. The only way to handle something like that if you're the White House is to say, uh, this was a staffer that posted it. It is taken down. We are sorry. The president is sorry. Does not reflect what the president thinks and that staffer has been put on leave.

6:24 Like, I know we're all laughing cuz that would never actually happen. But when you think about it, that is the only way to handle something like this if what they say is true, which of course I agree with you. I don't I don't believe Save America breaking news is brought to you by Ziotics Pre-Alcohol. Ziotics pre-alcohol probiotic drink is the world's first genetically engineered probiotic. It was invented by PhD scientists to tackle rough mornings after drinking. Here's how it works. When you drink, alcohol gets converted into a toxic byproduct in the gut. It's a buildup of this byproduct, not dehydration that's to blame for rough days after drinking. Pre-alcohol produces an enzyme to break this byproduct down. Just remember to make pre-alcohol your first drink of the night. Drink responsibly and you'll feel your best tomorrow. How much do we love Ziotics?

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7:08 Maybe we can bring it to Australia. I bet you can. It just looks funny. I won't have an alcohol drink without a Ziotics first because it's just not worth it. Same. Ready to try it? Go to ziotics.com/crookednews now. You'll get 15% off your first order when you use Crooked News at checkout. Plus, it's backed by 100% money back guarantee, so there's no risk. Subscriptions are also available for maximum consistency. Remember to head to zbiotics.com/crookednews and use the codec crooked newsws at checkout for 15% off. It's not landing really well with um with uh with at least one Trump voter. Uh this was a a C-SPAN clip where a Trump voter called in with some thoughts on the video.

7:42 I am a registered Republican voted for the president supported him. But I really want to apologize. I mean, I'm looking at this awful picture of the Obamas. What an embarrassment to our country. All this man does is tell lies. He is not worthy of the presidency. He takes bribes blatantly. And now he's being a racist blatantly. They were supposed to deport the dangerous criminals. This is not a decent man. This is not an honest man. He openly takes bribes. He's pathetic as a president. And I just want to apologize to everybody in in the country for supporting this rotten rotten man.

8:38 John, did you did you vote for him in all three elections? I did. that was sucked into the stupidity of creating jobs and and there are no more jobs in New Mexico. Things are worse than they were before. You cannot find a primary care position.

8:55 You know what? Apology accepted. Welcome to the team. Yeah, pretty uh pretty devastating criticism there. Wow. Extensive. It's like God, hearing just a high information voter like that makes you feel so good. It's like the bribery is so brazen and obvious. You just worry that people don't hear about it. Um,

9:10 and the immigration stuff is so break like that's that's broken through as well.

9:13 That I assume would break through. It's just like the the you know the like UAE buying half the company and the crypto like I'm obsessed about that. We're obsessed with that. It's like I wonder if other people hear about it. Um, also just one other thing on that video like that is clearly made by the most like overly online juvenile morons. Like it I I think that it features Olivia Giuliani who's like a 23-year-old like influencer. There's Harry Sison who's another like super young

9:37 his second appearance in one of these crazy videos. It's like the president of the United States is routinely attacking like 20 year olds because they had different political views. In the previous video, they dumped on Harry Sison's head.

9:47 Yeah. And the and and Americans in the American flag in Times Square. Nice. Um listening to that guy, I think they are in more serious political trouble than they imagine and even than maybe we imagine. And we've seen some of this in special elections and some of this in the polls, but I think it could be even worse than that. Like they have such internet brain poison. the Trump people, the president does, uh JD Vance certainly does, Stephen Miller, and they have surrounded themselves with such yes people that um they think that the the views of these on Twitter who make these memes and these videos represent even the voters who supported them in the last election.

10:28 And I just don't think that, you know, they have their 30% of the country that's probably locked in, unfortunately. Maybe it's even less than that now. But I think a lot of these people, the Biden Trump voters, the people who, you know, took a chance on Trump for the first time in 2024, I I have a hard time believing, and not just from this, just from the everything we've seen in the last year, a hard time believing those people are sticking with Republicans.

10:49 Yeah. If you're posting memes on Truth Social, you are the fringe of the fringe. Um, but I just before we walked in here, I saw a clip from Sean Ryan, who's a very influential podcaster. It's like 6 million, you know, subscribers on YouTube. Mostly focuses on military issues, but endorsed Trump and had him on in 2024. Uh, and he posted a video where he said, "They don't think the American people should be talking about Epstein anymore. Well, I've got news for you. The American people are the ones that voted you in and we told you we wanted before your ass got in there and you're not doing it. It's pathetic."

11:15 Like, so there's this this like a growing number of issues kind stacked up against Trump. And also ultimately like what that guy wants is the economy in New Mexico to be better and for there to be doctors for him to go to. Like Trump doesn't give a about those problems. He's not working on fixing them. He's actually actively making them worse by gutting Medicare, Medicaid, etc. And so, yeah, like it's a long-term political problem with no way out.

11:36 And also, I'll just say because the the the way that you can uh express your displeasure with Donald Trump and what he has done or hasn't done is uh voting against Republicans in the midterm because it's nice to see a few Republicans tweet out statements about how it's bad, but they have not lifted a finger to do anything about uh Trump and to to hold Trump accountable on anything for the last year. So, uh they're the ones at fault.

12:01 Yep. They uh are pathetic. There's a there's a third branch of government I think right still. Yeah. Congress or something.

12:07 Yeah. Yeah. Once in a while you can you can express your displeasure in a tweet, you know, or or like Tom Tillis be like, "Oh, the president's getting bad advice from his adviserss on Greenland and he's going to ruin his legacy." Tom Tom Tillis, North Carolina senator, uh, Republican resigning, has decided to become a Trump critic in his waning days. But yeah, he focuses on the staff. He keeps doing this thing where like, oh, Trump's getting bad advice. No, he's not. He's not listen. He's just doing what he wants to do.

12:32 Well, even Tim Scott in his statement is like, "Oh, it's the racist." Most of these come from the White House, and I hope that they're blah blah. It's like

12:38 they don't name him. Yeah, he's he's the problem. Anyway, um All right. Well, uh subscribe to our YouTube channel, Pod Save America. We'll keep uh keep you up to date on uh any kind of breaking news and trying to build a uh you know, independent pro-democracy media company here. So, check out uh subscribe on Podsave America so you get our content and not the uh gross vile memes that you see everywhere else.

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "Even Republicans are OUTRAGED After Trump Posts Racist Video of Obamas"?

Tommy Vietor (Host), John Lovett (Host), Caroline Levit (Guest), Tim Scott (Guest), Unnamed Trump Voter (Guest).

What is "Even Republicans are OUTRAGED After Trump Posts Racist Video of Obamas" about?

Trump faced backlash from both parties after sharing a racist video depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes, leading to outrage even among some Republican leaders, including Senator Tim Scott, who called it the "most racist thing" from the White House. The incident prompted a swift response from the White House, which claimed it was posted in error by a staff member and called for an end to…

What is mentioned in this Pod Save America episode?

10 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Donald Trump, Truth Social, Barack Obama, Caroline Levit, J.D. Vance, Tim Scott. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "Even Republicans are OUTRAGED After Trump Posts Racist Video of Obamas"?

The episode runs 13 min; the transcript is about 2,711 words in 36 timestamped sections.

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