Former U.S President Barack Obama dismissed a video posted by Donald Trump—which depicted him and Michelle Obama as apes—as part of a “shameless clown show,” USA Today reported Sunday.

Responding to host Brian Tyler Cohen’s concerns about a growing culture of cruelty and the labeling of certain individuals as “domestic terrorists” in an interview published Saturday, Obama argued that while such distractions gain attention, most Americans still value decency and kindness.

The controversial video, shared on Truth Social, briefly showed the Obamas’ faces on apes in a jungle setting; White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt initially defended it as a “Lion King” metaphor.

The post was deleted on February 6, with Trump claiming he had not seen the final portion of the clip before sharing it.

Despite the backlash and accusations of racism, Trump declined to apologize, stating he “didn’t make a mistake.”