(SACRAMENTO, February 13, 2024) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom has condemned the behavior of former President Donald Trump following the posting of a racist video on Trump’s Truth Social account, stating that it should “disgust” people across the political spectrum.
Newsom sharply criticized Trump’s sharing of an AI-generated video depicting former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama as apes, calling it a “racist trope.”
- Gov. Newsom called Trump’s post “disgraceful, racist, and abhorrent.”
- Both Trump and the White House blamed an unnamed staffer for posting the video.
- Newsom criticized the response as insufficient and lamented the quick move past the controversy.
The post, which has since been deleted, consisted of an AI-generated video and depicted the Obamas as apes, as part of a screen recording promoting a conspiracy theory about the 2020 presidential election, according to TIME’s reporting. Newsom made the statement during a press conference late Tuesday.
“It’s disgraceful. It’s racist. It’s abhorrent,” Newsom said. “The President of the United States sending out a racist trope should disgust every human being in this room. Everyone. I don’t care if you watched Kid Rock this [Super Bowl] weekend or Bad Bunny.”
Newsom went on to criticize the handling of the situation by both Trump and the White House, noting that both blamed an unnamed staffer for the posting. Trump claimed he had instructed a staffer to share the video but said he hadn’t seen the content and refused to apologize, stating, “I didn’t make a mistake.”
“In any other circumstance that person would be fired, the board of directors would ask him to be fired. Be ashamed and humiliated and would have apologized. He did none of the above,” Newsom said, adding that he was dismayed by how quickly the public discourse moved on from the uproar.
“I can’t believe that was washed away just with another news cycle. How the hell is he allowed to get away with that?” Newsom questioned.
Context of the Controversy
Newsom also accused House Speaker Mike Johnson of “countenancing that racial video.” When asked if Trump owed the Obamas an apology, Johnson told a reporter that the former President had not been aware of the video’s content before it was posted. TIME has reached out to the White House for comment.
The incident comes amid broader scrutiny of social media activity surrounding Trump and his allies. Hours before Newsom’s remarks, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was questioned about a “social media problem” within the administration, in reference to both the video and a recent post on Vice President J.D. Vance’s account referencing the “Armenian genocide” – a term the U.S. government does not use. Leavitt stated the White House does not have a social media issue but offered no further comment on the video depicting the Obamas.
Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, the only African-American Republican Senator, previously described the video as “the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House.”
Newsom has a history of criticizing Trump’s social media rhetoric, and has even mirrored the former President’s style in his own online posts. Ahead of the Super Bowl, Newsom declared Super Bowl Sunday “Bad Bunny Day” in California, a move that appeared to mock Trump’s pronunciation of “Puerto Rico.”
When asked about his approach to social media last year, Newsom told reporters, “I hope it’s a wake-up call to the President of the United States following his example. If you’ve got issues with what I’m putting out, you sure as hell should have concerns about what he’s putting out as President. To the extent it’s gotten attention, I’m pleased.”
Why It Matters
The incident underscores the ongoing debate surrounding the use of inflammatory rhetoric in political discourse, particularly on social media. Trump’s history of controversial posts and his continued influence over a significant portion of the Republican base raise concerns about the normalization of racist tropes and the potential for further division. Newsom’s strong condemnation, and his willingness to directly challenge Trump’s behavior, highlights the growing pressure on political leaders to address such issues and hold individuals accountable for harmful online content.
