By Ogaga Ariemu

Former United States President, Barack Obama has made his first public statement following a controversial video shared by President Donald Trump that portrayed him and his wife, Michelle Obama, as apes.

Obama, in a post on X on Saturday, made no reference to the video, which sparked widespread outrage and accusations of racism.

Instead, the 44th US president focused on celebrating Team USA as the 2026 Winter Olympics kicks off.

“To all the athletes representing @TeamUSA: I’m so proud of you. Your talent and perseverance have brought you to this moment, and Michelle and I will be joining Americans from across the country cheering you on,” Obama wrote.

Recall that Trump had on Friday morning posted the video on his Truth Social platform, depicting the Obamas in a derogatory manner. The post generated significant backlash, prompting Trump to delete the video.

DAILY POST reports that Pastor Mark Burns, while defending Trump, claimed the president told him he did not personally post the video, attributing the action to a member of his staff.