It is rare for a former United States President to engage directly with the digital ephemera of his successor. It is rarer still for him to describe the political ecosystem of the world’s oldest democracy as a "clown show."
Yet, in a sprawling interview with commentator Brian Tyler Cohen aired this weekend, Barack Obama did precisely that. Breaking his silence on a racist video shared—and subsequently deleted—by President Donald Trump’s Truth Social account, Obama offered a critique that went beyond personal grievance. His diagnosis was not of a man, but of a system that has lost its "shame mechanism."
The "Devolution" of Discourse
The immediate trigger for Obama’s remarks was a video posted on February 6, depicting the former President and First Lady Michelle Obama as primates, set to the tune of The Lion Sleeps Tonight. While the White House attributed the post to a "staffer error" and Trump claimed he "didn’t see" the offensive segment, the incident marked a new low in executive communication.
"We’ve seen the devolution of the discourse," Obama noted, responding to Cohen’s query on whether American politics can return to a baseline of decency.
His choice of words—"clown show"—was not merely pejorative; it was structural. Obama argued that the performative cruelty on social media serves as a distraction, a spectacle designed to occupy the public attention while norms are dismantled. "What is true is that there doesn’t seem to be any shame about this," he said. "People who used to feel like you had to have some sort of decorum and a sense of propriety... that’s been lost."
From Memes to Policy: The "Dictatorship" Comparison
Crucially, the former President did not let the conversation rest on the issue of personal insults. In a pivot that many analysts found significant, he drew a straight line from the lack of decorum in speech to the lack of restraint in state power.
Referring to the recent, controversial ICE raids in Minnesota—where federal agents were accused of aggressive tactics in subzero weather—Obama issued a stark warning. He compared the "rogue behaviour" of these federal agents to conduct one might expect in "authoritarian countries" or "dictatorships."
This is the crux of the argument: A political culture that permits the dehumanisation of opponents (via racist tropes) inevitably creates the permission structure for the dehumanisation of citizens (via aggressive state enforcement). The "clown show," in this view, is the smokescreen for the "dictatorship."
The "Staffer Blame" Defense
The political fallout has followed a predictable, if wearying, trajectory. The White House’s defense—blaming a junior staffer and dismissing the backlash as "fake outrage"—relies on the public’s exhaustion.
The Incident: February 5/6 Truth Social post.
The Defense: "I didn't make a mistake" (Trump) / "Staffer error" (Press Secretary).
The Outcome: Deleted after bipartisan censure, including from Senator Tim Scott.
However, the persistence of such "errors" suggests a feature, not a bug. By constantly pushing the boundaries of what is acceptable, the administration forces the opposition into a perpetual state of reaction.
What Happens Next?
Obama’s strategy, as revealed in the interview, appears to be an appeal to the "silent majority." He insisted that most Americans still believe in "decency, courtesy, and kindness," attempting to isolate the "clown show" as a minority phenomenon.
Whether this optimism is misplaced remains the open question of the 2026 political cycle. If the "shame mechanism" is indeed broken, as Obama suggests, then appeals to propriety may no longer carry political weight. The clown show, after all, continues only as long as the audience keeps watching.
FAQ
What exactly did Obama call a "clown show"? Obama used the term to describe the current state of US political discourse on social media and television, specifically referring to the lack of shame and decorum following Trump’s sharing of a racist video.
What was in the video Trump shared? The video, posted on Truth Social, depicted Barack and Michelle Obama as apes/monkeys. It was deleted after intense backlash.
Did Trump apologize? No. Trump stated he "didn't make a mistake" and claimed he hadn't seen the end of the video where the racist depiction occurred.
Why did Obama mention Minnesota? He used the aggressive ICE raids in Minnesota as an example of "rogue behaviour" that mirrors "dictatorships," linking the loss of rhetorical decency to dangerous policy enforcement.
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The ‘Clown Show’ and the Crisis of Shame: Decoding Obama’s Sharpest Rebuke Yet
Former President Barack Obama has labelled the current state of US politics a "clown show," linking a racist video shared by Donald Trump to a broader collapse in democratic norms.
It is rare for a former United States President to engage directly with the digital ephemera of his successor. It is rarer still for him to describe the political ecosystem of the world’s oldest democracy as a "clown show."
Yet, in a sprawling interview with commentator Brian Tyler Cohen aired this weekend, Barack Obama did precisely that. Breaking his silence on a racist video shared—and subsequently deleted—by President Donald Trump’s Truth Social account, Obama offered a critique that went beyond personal grievance. His diagnosis was not of a man, but of a system that has lost its "shame mechanism."
The "Devolution" of Discourse
The immediate trigger for Obama’s remarks was a video posted on February 6, depicting the former President and First Lady Michelle Obama as primates, set to the tune of The Lion Sleeps Tonight. While the White House attributed the post to a "staffer error" and Trump claimed he "didn’t see" the offensive segment, the incident marked a new low in executive communication.
"We’ve seen the devolution of the discourse," Obama noted, responding to Cohen’s query on whether American politics can return to a baseline of decency.
His choice of words—"clown show"—was not merely pejorative; it was structural. Obama argued that the performative cruelty on social media serves as a distraction, a spectacle designed to occupy the public attention while norms are dismantled. "What is true is that there doesn’t seem to be any shame about this," he said. "People who used to feel like you had to have some sort of decorum and a sense of propriety... that’s been lost."
From Memes to Policy: The "Dictatorship" Comparison
Crucially, the former President did not let the conversation rest on the issue of personal insults. In a pivot that many analysts found significant, he drew a straight line from the lack of decorum in speech to the lack of restraint in state power.
Referring to the recent, controversial ICE raids in Minnesota—where federal agents were accused of aggressive tactics in subzero weather—Obama issued a stark warning. He compared the "rogue behaviour" of these federal agents to conduct one might expect in "authoritarian countries" or "dictatorships."
This is the crux of the argument: A political culture that permits the dehumanisation of opponents (via racist tropes) inevitably creates the permission structure for the dehumanisation of citizens (via aggressive state enforcement). The "clown show," in this view, is the smokescreen for the "dictatorship."
The "Staffer Blame" Defense
The political fallout has followed a predictable, if wearying, trajectory. The White House’s defense—blaming a junior staffer and dismissing the backlash as "fake outrage"—relies on the public’s exhaustion.
The Incident: February 5/6 Truth Social post.
The Defense: "I didn't make a mistake" (Trump) / "Staffer error" (Press Secretary).
The Outcome: Deleted after bipartisan censure, including from Senator Tim Scott.
However, the persistence of such "errors" suggests a feature, not a bug. By constantly pushing the boundaries of what is acceptable, the administration forces the opposition into a perpetual state of reaction.
What Happens Next?
Obama’s strategy, as revealed in the interview, appears to be an appeal to the "silent majority." He insisted that most Americans still believe in "decency, courtesy, and kindness," attempting to isolate the "clown show" as a minority phenomenon.
Whether this optimism is misplaced remains the open question of the 2026 political cycle. If the "shame mechanism" is indeed broken, as Obama suggests, then appeals to propriety may no longer carry political weight. The clown show, after all, continues only as long as the audience keeps watching.
FAQ
What exactly did Obama call a "clown show"? Obama used the term to describe the current state of US political discourse on social media and television, specifically referring to the lack of shame and decorum following Trump’s sharing of a racist video.
What was in the video Trump shared? The video, posted on Truth Social, depicted Barack and Michelle Obama as apes/monkeys. It was deleted after intense backlash.
Did Trump apologize? No. Trump stated he "didn't make a mistake" and claimed he hadn't seen the end of the video where the racist depiction occurred.
Why did Obama mention Minnesota? He used the aggressive ICE raids in Minnesota as an example of "rogue behaviour" that mirrors "dictatorships," linking the loss of rhetorical decency to dangerous policy enforcement.