‘Weird videos of a US President…’
Former President Barack Obama on Saturday criticized US President Donald Trump’s AI-generated video released on “No Kings Day”, calling it a deliberate distraction aimed at diverting voters’ attention from real issues.
US President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama
Former President Barack Obama on Saturday criticized US President Donald Trump’s AI-generated video released on “No Kings Day”, calling it a deliberate distraction aimed at diverting voters’ attention from real issues. Speaking at a rally in Newark, New Jersey, in support of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mikie Sherrill, Obama condemned what he described as “political rhetoric and fabricated conspiracies” coming out of the Trump administration.
Referring to the viral AI-generated clip showing Trump wearing a crown, flying a fighter jet, and dumping poop on American citizens, Obama told the crowd: “Weird videos of a US president with a crown on his head, flying a fighter jet and dumping poop on American citizens.” The comment drew boos from the audience, prompting Obama to quickly respond: “That’s not even boo-worthy.” He said such demonstrations were created to distract from voters’ lived realities.
“All of this is a distraction,” he said. “This is all designed to distract you from the fact that your situation, your life, is not better. They do it so you don’t realize it.” Obama’s remarks come weeks after Trump shared the 19-second AI-generated video via Truth Social on October 19. In the clip, the president is seen piloting a fighter jet emblazoned with “King Trump”, spraying mud on “No Kings” protesters in what appears to be New York’s Times Square, and even taking aim at American social media influencer Harry Sisson.
The timing of Trump’s post coincided with mass demonstrations in the United States under the banner “No Kings Protest”. According to CNN, the protests drew nearly seven million participants from more than 2,700 cities and towns across the country, voicing strong opposition to Trump’s administration and policies. The turnout marked an increase of two million compared to the first round of protests in June this year, reflecting increased public mobilization against the administration.
Law enforcement officials said the protests remained largely peaceful, with no incidents or arrests recorded. In Chicago, seen as the epicenter of Trump’s crackdown on immigrants, protesters carried a mix of “Hands Off Chicago” signs, upside-down American flags and Mexican and Pride flags.
In Los Angeles, demonstrators dressed in inflatable costumes waved American flags on major streets, while in Washington, current and former federal employees marched down Pennsylvania Avenue on the 18th day of the ongoing government shutdown, calling for calmer political discourse. Despite widespread opposition, the White House also shared an X-related screenshot on October 19 showing President Trump wearing an “Emperor crown.”
The photo, published on the same day as the video, further intensified the reaction online and sparked criticism from across the political spectrum. The dual posts on Oct. 19, the AI-generated video and screenshot, came at a time when political tensions were already high in Washington amid the federal government shutdown and partisan impasse over the funding bill. As the protests grew and public anger grew, Obama’s statements appeared to directly address those demonstrations, encouraging voters not to be distracted by online theatrics but to focus on the challenges affecting their daily lives.
While Democratic leaders have largely voiced support for the protests, many Republican lawmakers have criticized them as un-American.
Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from ANI.
