Kamala Trashes Trump’s White House
Former Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday accused President Donald Trump and the White House of attempting to deflect blame after a controversial video was posted online and later deleted.
The video, which was briefly posted to an official account, portrayed several political figures as animals. In the final moments of the clip, Barack Obama and Michelle Obama appeared with their images placed over apes, drawing rapid criticism from both parties.
Harris criticized the administration’s explanation, arguing that the White House initially defended the video before blaming its release on a staff member.
According to a White House official, the video was posted in error by a staffer and removed once concerns were raised. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt initially described the clip as an online meme before it was taken down.
The roughly one-minute video portrayed President Trump as a lion, while several Democratic politicians were depicted as other animals appearing to bow. The segment involving the Obamas appeared toward the end of the clip and became the focal point of criticism.
Reaction to the video was immediate and bipartisan. Several Republicans condemned the imagery and called for its removal. Senator Tim Scott described the depiction of the Obamas as deeply offensive and said it crossed a serious line.
Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One, President Trump said he discussed the issue with Scott and claimed he had only seen the beginning of the video.
“I saw the first part, and it was fine,” Trump said, adding that he was unaware of how the clip ended. He described the video as a parody inspired by The Lion King and said there was no intent to offend. While condemning the offensive imagery, the president did not issue a formal apology and said he did not personally authorize the post.
Democrats strongly criticized the incident. Senator Bernie Sanders called the video racist and accused Republicans of failing to speak out.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said the video was posted intentionally and urged Republican leadership to publicly denounce it.
Meanwhile, California Governor Gavin Newsom, who was also depicted in the video, responded through his press office by sharing a social media poll asking users which administration official should be dismissed first. The poll included several senior White House and Homeland Security officials, along with the unnamed staffer blamed for the post.
The controversy has added to already heightened political tensions in Washington, as both parties continue to clash over accountability, messaging, and the standards expected from the presidency.
