Vice President JD Vance Dismisses Trump's AI-Generated Obama Video Controversy
During a press conference in Azerbaijan, US Vice President JD Vance addressed the recent controversy surrounding President Donald Trump's social media post featuring an AI-generated video that depicted former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes. Vance swiftly dismissed the incident, labeling it as "not a real controversy" and defending Trump's actions.
Vance's Defense of Trump's Actions
When questioned about the viral video, Vance explained that due to time zone differences and a busy schedule, the controversy had already subsided by the time he became aware of it. He stated, "Yeah, I mean it was...it was one of those things where either because the time zone changed or because we were so busy, the controversy had started and then died out by the time I even paid attention to it, you know."
Vance further elaborated that a White House staffer had posted the video, and Trump had not watched it in its entirety. According to Vance, the video was removed as soon as Trump viewed it completely. "The president said that a staffer posted the video. He hadn't even watched the whole thing. When he watched the whole thing, he took it down. It's not a real controversy. We have much more important things to focus on," he told reporters.
Refusal to Apologize and Broader Context
When pressed on whether Trump should apologize for sharing the video, Vance appeared offended and responded, "Should he apologise for posting a video and then taking it down? No, I don't think so. I think people post something on social media and if you don't like it you just take it down."
The video, posted by the 79-year-old American leader on his platform Truth Social on Friday, featured animated versions of the Obamas depicted as apes with the song 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight' playing in the background. Its posting during Black History Month sparked significant online outrage, but Republicans, including White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, accused the media of creating "fake outrage." Trump himself claimed he "didn't see" the racist elements and refused to apologize, stating he "didn't make a mistake."
Vance's Comments on Olympic Athletes and Regional Diplomacy
In the same interview, Vance also commented on American Olympians speaking out against ICE brutalities and current civil unrest in the United States. He advised them to focus on unifying the country rather than engaging in political discourse. "Yes, you’re going to have some Olympic athletes who pop off about politics. I feel like that happens every Olympics. My advice to them would be to try to bring the country together. And when you’re representing the country, you’re representing Democrats and Republicans, you’re there to play a sport and you’re there to represent your country and hopefully win a medal. You’re not there to pop off about politics," he said.
Vance is currently on a regional trip to Azerbaijan with his wife Usha Vance and their three children, having also visited Armenia to formalize a US-brokered peace process between the two Caucasus nations. During his visit, he met with Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, announcing America's collaboration with both countries.
