'Clown show': Barack Obama on Trump post depicting Obamas as apes

Former President Barack Obamasaid in a Feb. 14 interview that a videoPresident Donald Trumpposted thatdepicted Barack and Michelle Obama as apes, decried by manyas racist, was part of a shameless "clown show."

Obama made the comments after podcast host Brian Tyler Cohen said in the interview that a series of messages from White House officials,such as the video posted by Trumpand administration officials labeling people who died at the hands of ICE agentsas "domestic terrorists,"showed a level of cruelty that would have been disqualifying in earlier political times. He asked Obama how the country can come back from that discourse.

Barack Obama served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. Take a look at his life in photos.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sen. Barack Obama poses for a portrait on Feb. 2, 2006, at the Capitol.

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See former President Barack Obama's journey to White House and his life after

Barack Obama served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. Take a look at his life in photos.

"It is true that it gets attention. It's true that it's a distraction,"Obama said. "But as I'm traveling around the country, as you're traveling around the country, you meet people, they still believe in decency, courtesy, kindness."

"There's this sort of clown show that's happening in social media and on television, and what is true is that there doesn't seem to be any shame about this among people who used to feel like you had to have some sort of decorum and a sense of propriety and respect for the office," Obama added.

More:Trump shared Obama ape video. Here's the dark history behind the imagery.

The video was one of several posts on Trump's Truth Social account in the late hours of Feb. 5 and early hours of Feb. 6. A brief portion at the end of the video showed the faces of the Obamas on the bodies of two apes, in what appeared to be a jungle.

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White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt at one point defended the video as a depiction of Trump "as the King of the Jungle and Democrats as characters from the Lion King."

However,the post was deleted Feb. 6. Later that day on Air Force One, Trump said that he had only looked at the first part of the video, and hadn't seen the part with the Obamas.

"We took it down as soon as we found out about it," Trump said.

Asked whether he would apologize, Trump said, "No, I didn't make a mistake."

Contributing: Zac Anderson – USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:'Clown show': Barack Obama responds to Trump post of Obamas as apes

byCosmopolite

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February 14, 2026

'Clown show': Barack Obama on Trump post depicting Obamas as apes

Former President Barack Obamasaid in a Feb. 14 interview that a videoPresident Donald Trumpposted thatdepicted Barack and...

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What to know about how the DHS shutdown could affect you

Funding for theDepartment of Homeland Security has expired, potentially jeopardizing critical government services like airport security and disaster relief.

Appropriations for the 9/11-era Cabinet agency lapsed after Friday, Feb. 13, as negotiations continued between congressional Democrats and the White House over curbing immigration enforcement. No deal was in sight as lawmakers left for a week-long scheduled recess, with many taking planned trips overseas.

After the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good by federal immigration agents (ICE), communities across the U.S. are protesting against Trump's surge of immigration enforcement actions.

Pictured here, Demonstrators gather for a protest calling for the removal of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Jan. 30, 2026 in the Chinatown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Protests were held across the United States in response to ICE enforcement activity.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Hundreds of people gather to protest ICE at the corner of Palafox and Garden Streets in downtown Pensacola, Florida, on Jan. 30, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Penn High School students participate in a walkout protesting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Mishawaka, Indiana.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Protesters gather at City Hall in response to recent actions by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, commonly referred to as "ICE," and the presence of Flock cameras in the community and Indiana University campus, in Bloomington, Indiana, on Jan. 30, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> A Penn High School student confronts a man in a car line at the school who was shouting, "Let's go ICE!" as students were marching past during a walkout protesting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Mishawaka, Indiana.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Protesters gather at City Hall in Bloomington, Indiana, on Jan. 30, 2026, in response to recent immigration enforcement actions by the government.

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'ICE Out' protests spark marches, confrontations across US

After the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good by federal immigration agents (ICE), communities across the U.S. areprotestingagainst Trump's surge of immigration enforcement actions.Pictured here, Demonstrators gather for a protest calling for the removal of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Jan. 30, 2026 in the Chinatown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Protests were held across the United States in response to ICE enforcement activity.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D–New York, pledged earlier this week that Democrats wouldn't back funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) without added guardrails for federal immigration agents.

"The Republican bill on the floor allows ICE to smash in doors without warrants, to wear masks and not be identified, to use children as bait for their parents," Schumer said in avideo statement posted on social mediaFeb. 12. "No oversight? We are keeping our word. No funding for ICE until it is reined in, until the violence ends."

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R–South Dakota,said on Fox NewsFeb. 12 that he hopes Democrats strike a funding deal with the White House over the weekend

"This isn't just ICE. This isn't just, you know, Border Patrol. This is FEMA. This is TSA. This is the Coast Guard. This is cyber security. A bunch of things covered by this bill," Thune said.

More:Coast Guard chief warns DHS shutdown will 'cripple morale'

Much of DHS's typical work,including Immigration and Customs Enforcement's operations, will continue even while the agency is shut down. Regardless, the heads of some of the department's most critical divisions warned lawmakers ahead of the latest funding lapse that the consequences of a prolonged shutdown could be dire.

DHS hasn't publicly released an updated contingency plan for this shutdown, but ittypically requiresthe vast majority of TSA's more than 64,000-person workforce to stay on the job without pay.

Acting TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill told lawmakers Feb. 11 that the roughly 61,000 employees at more than 430 commercial airports who will be impacted by another funding lapse can't go through it all over again.

"Some are just recovering from the financial impact of the 43-day shutdown," she said. "We cannot put them through another such experience. It would be unconscionable."

Usually, as shutdowns drag on, callout rates for TSA workers spike, leading to longer wait times in security lines at the airport.

Coast Guard

The Coast Guard, which falls under DHS purview during peacetime, will have to suspend missions that aren't critical for national security and the protection of life and property.

"Shutdowns cripple morale," said Vice Adm. Thomas Allan, the Coast Guard's acting vice commandant, at a Feb. 11 congressional hearing.

Allan told lawmakers the shutdown would cause deferred maintenance and potentially interrupt pay for 56,000 active-duty reserve and civilian personnel.

FEMA

Most employees of the Federal Emergency Management Agency will also work without pay. Gregg Phillips, who leads FEMA, said on Feb. 11 the shutdown would "severely disrupt" the agency's ability to reimburse states for disaster relief costs.

He expressed concern about the approaching hurricane season.

"A federal government shutdown would have far-reaching and serious consequences for FEMA's operations and for the nation's ability to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters," he told lawmakers.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:What to know about how the DHS shutdown could affect you

byCosmopolite

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February 14, 2026

What to know about how the DHS shutdown could affect you

Funding for theDepartment of Homeland Security has expired, potentially jeopardizing critical government services like ai...

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FDA Issues Highest-Level Warning Over Nationwide Cake Mix Recall

• The FDA upgraded a nationwide cake mix recall to Class I due to undeclared milk allergens.

• The recall affects large commercial Spice Cake and Swiss Chocolate Cake mixes.

• Businesses are urged to stop using the products due to serious allergy risks.

If you've got a baking project on the calendar, you might want to double-check what mix you're using first. Anationwide recallinvolving commercial cake mixes has just been upgraded to the FDA's most serious classification, meaning there's a real risk for people with certain food allergies.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has elevated a recall involving Dallas-based B.C. Williams Bakery Service to aClass I recall, its highest warning level. That classification signals there's a reasonable chance that consuming the product could cause serious health consequences or even death.

The issue traces back to undeclared milk found in certain cake mixes, meaning milk wasn't listed on the label despite being present. While milk might seem harmless to most shoppers, it can trigger severe or life-threatening reactions in people with dairy allergies, especially children and those with diagnosed sensitivities.

The recall originally began in late December but was recently escalated after further review. The affected products were distributed nationwide, though exact retail or foodservice destinations haven't been fully clarified. Because these mixes are sold in large 50-pound bags, they're more commonly used by bakeries, restaurants, and large-scale food operations than by home bakers.

The products included in the recall areSpice Cake MixandSwiss Chocolate Cake Mix,both in 50-pound bags. The specific lot numbers can be foundhere.

Businesses or distributors in possession of the affected mixes are being urged not to use them and to dispose of the products or return them to their supplier. For consumers, the biggest concern is indirect exposure. If you or someone in your householdhas a milk allergyand you've recently bought baked goods from local bakeries or foodservice locations, it may be worth asking about ingredient sourcing until the recall is fully resolved.

No illnesses have been officially confirmed at this time, but a Class I designation shows the FDA isn't taking chances.

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FDA Issues Highest-Level Warning Over Nationwide Cake Mix Recall

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Kevin Fiala injury is the latest at the Olympics that could also hurt an NHL team

MILAN (AP) — Kevin Fiala going down with a gruesome leg injury and getting taken off the ice on a stretcher is a cruel reminder of the risk hockey players takeparticipating in the Olympics.

Milan Cortina Olympics Ice Hockey

Fiala had surgerySaturday on his left leg, and he won't play again in the tournament after getting injured when he got tangled up with Tom Wilson duringSwitzerland's game against Canada. Given the likelihood that it's severe enough to end his NHL season, too, it's not just a blow to Switzerland but also the Los Angeles Kings as they push to try to make the playoffs.

"It sucks for him and for us," Kings teammate Adrian Kempe said afterSweden's game against Slovakia. "It's really tough for him personally and for us as a team. You know how much he means to our team back home in L.A. It's just very unfortunate for him that it comes in a tournament like this that we've been looking forward to playing in for so long."

The NHL is backin the Games for the first time since 2014, when John Tavares' season with the New York Islanders was cut short whenhe tore ligamentsin his left knee playing for Canada in Sochi. Owners decided not to go to Pyeongchang in 2018 for various reasons, and losing players to injuries at the Olympics has always been an argument against taking part.

Two decades ago in Turin, six-time Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender and two-time NHL MVP Dominik Hasek tore an adductor muscle, just below his groin, and did not play again for the Ottawa Senators. They lost in the second round when backup Ray Emery allowed 16 goals in five games, and owner Eugene Melnyk in 2021 beforehis death in 2022said Hasek's injury cost his team a shot at the Stanley Cup.

Brock Nelson was on the Islanders 12 years ago when they had to go the rest of the way without Tavares and missed the playoffs.

"Johnny was our leader at the time," said Nelson, who's playing for the U.S. in Milan. "Devastating. You're happy for him to go over there and represent his country on the biggest stage, but to see him go down was tough. And then for us on the Island, you have to try and bridge that gap as best you can."

Nelson knows exactly how Kempe and the Kings feel from that experience.

"Obviously you're never going to replace guys like that — both Johnny and Kevin — but there's opportunity for guys to be had and I'm sure it'll be a group mindset for them to try to overcome it," Nelson said.

The Kingsacquiring high-scoring winger Artemi Panarinin a trade with the New York Rangers just before the roster freeze on Feb. 4 is certainly a boost, but Fiala's absence still creates a void. He's their second-leading scorer with 40 points in 46 games.

"It's really tough," Kings teammate Joel Armia said after Finland's game against Italy. "As soon as I saw it, I was so sad. Yeah, it's not great."

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A team spokesperson said general manager Ken Holland and coach Jim Hiller will address Fiala's status when L.A. resumes practice on Wednesday.

The Kings are three points out of the second and final wild-card spot in the Western Conference with 26 games remaining and will attempt to close that gap without Fiala.

"I hope it's a speedy recovery for Kevin," said Kempe, who leads the team with 46 points. "He's an unbelievable player, a great teammate and obviously it sucks to see something happen like that to him."

Kempe, Nelson and the rest of the NHL players at the Olympics expressed empathy over Fiala's injury. They understand anything can happen when they step onto the ice.

"It's hockey: You can injure yourself in a practice, in a game," Slovakia's Martin Fehervary said. "Hockey's a hard sport, and you never know when you can get injured."

Fehervary has played with Wilson in the league with the Washington Capitals for the past five years. Before that, Czechia's Michal Kempny won the Stanley Cup with Wilson and the Capitals in 2018 and found it incredibly difficult to watch the play on which Fiala was injured.

"I think it was an unlucky accident," Kempny said. "I know Tommy very well: a great man, a great guy, a great teammate. He's a guy that he's tough to play against, for sure, but the play last night, I think it was an unlucky play — an accident."

Accidents and injuries happen in every sport, as evidenced byLindsey Vonn's horrific crash up in the mountainsthat broke her left leg. Those involved in hockey at the Olympics do not want to use Fiala getting hurt as any sort of excuse not to participate.

"We're very conscious of it," U.S. coach Mike Sullivan said. "It's a violent game, it's a physical game and you're always going to assume risk. It's the nature of the sport. Everybody understands it. But these guys are hockey players. That's what they do, that's what they love and they're going to play hockey."

AP Winter Olympics:https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

byCosmopolite

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February 14, 2026

Kevin Fiala injury is the latest at the Olympics that could also hurt an NHL team

MILAN (AP) — Kevin Fiala going down with a gruesome leg injury and getting taken off the ice on a stretcher is a cruel re...

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Seton Hall outfielder suffers gruesome left leg injury while rounding first base after hitting home run

Seton Hall outfielder Justin Ford was forced to leave the game after he hit a home run in the fifth inning of his team's loss to Boston College on Friday night.

Ford suffered a gruesome lower left ankle injury after he rounded first base and was celebrating his home run. As he faced his dugout, his left ankle rolled outward with his foot on the ground and he fell to the dirt.

(Warning: the video below shows Ford's injury.)

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Ford's injury was so serious that a stretcher was brought out on the field. A pinch runner was allowed to replace him and score Ford's run from the homer.

Friday was college baseball's first day of the season and the two teams were playing in the Puerto Rico Challenge. A junior in 2026, Ford appeared in 17 games as a sophomore with 12 starts. He had a .171 average and his home run against the Eagles was the third of his career.

Boston College won the game 6-4 and will play Houston on Saturday while Seton Hall takes on Manhattan.

byCosmopolite

in

February 14, 2026

Seton Hall outfielder suffers gruesome left leg injury while rounding first base after hitting home run

Seton Hall outfielder Justin Ford was forced to leave the game after he hit a home run in the fifth inning of his team...

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Northern Iowa tight end Parker Sutherland dies

Northern Iowa announced that tight end Parker Sutherland died Saturday morning.

Sutherland was a freshman in 2025 and played in four games. He was a native of Iowa City, Iowa.

"I'm heartbroken," Northern Iowa coach Todd Stepsis said in a statement. "No words can express my condolences to [parents] Adam, Jill and [sister] Georgia. Parker embodied everything we look for in a UNI Football Panther. His talent and potential excited us on a daily basis, but it failed to compare to the type of person and teammate he was. His character, humility, toughness and genuine love of others are what champions are made of. While I'm saddened that our time together was short, we will celebrate the bright light that he brought to our football team for the rest of our lives."

On Thursday, a spokesperson for Northern Iowasaid in a statement to the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courierthat "Cedar Falls Fire & Rescue responded to a call at the UNI Athletics facilities on Thursday. There are no further details that can be shared at this time."

Saturday morning,CBS 2 in Cedar Rapids reportedthat "multiple sources tell Iowa's News Now that Sutherland collapsed during a workout that day."

Sutherland appeared in games against Utah Tech, North Dakota, Illinois State and Murray State. He was a second-team all-state player at Iowa City High School as a senior in 2024.

"It is a heartbreaking day for our Panther Athletics family with the passing of Parker Sutherland," athletic director Megan Franklin said. "He embraced the opportunity to play Panther football and represent the university through sport. We are devastated — just devastated. The blessing is that we have a Panther family who will hold the Sutherland family, our football team, and our athletics staff close as we grieve."

byCosmopolite

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February 14, 2026

Northern Iowa tight end Parker Sutherland dies

Northern Iowa announced that tight end Parker Sutherland died Saturday morning. Sutherland was a freshman in 2025 and played in four games...

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Hilary Duff hits the stage with joyful throwbacks, new songs as her comeback amps up

LAS VEGAS – Pop music is ephemeral by nature.

So when the rare welcome – and successful – resurrection occurs, it's all the more reason to celebrate.

Hilary Duffis having one of those moments when everything clicks.

Her primarily millennial fans are rabid to see her in concert. Her first album in more than a decade, "Luck … or Something,"releases Feb. 20. And after this weekend of sold-out shows at Voltaire at The Venetian and areturn May 22-24,Duff will hit amphitheaters and arenas in June for The Lucky Me Tour,her first world outingin nearly 20 years.

Duff's performance Friday, Feb. 13 at the 1,000-capacity opulent venue-lounge was part of her Small Rooms, Big Nerves Tour, which hit four major cities, including London and New York, before landing for this trio of shows in Vegas.

Even with an extensive acting background, the nerves mentioned in her tour name are understandable. It's one thing to be revered as an early aughts Disney Channel breakout on "Lizzy McGuire" and continue a notable acting career with star turns in"Younger"and "How I Met Your Father."

It's an entirely different set of neurons to command a stage with assurance and scamper down a catwalk, interact with fans a few inches away and remind people that you can sing.

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byCosmopolite

in

February 14, 2026

Hilary Duff hits the stage with joyful throwbacks, new songs as her comeback amps up

LAS VEGAS – Pop music is ephemeral by nature. So when the rare welcome – and successful – resurrection occurs, i...

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