Trump jabs Obama with OJ Simpson meme amid renewed scrutiny of 2016 Russia probe

UPDATED: Jul 27, 2025 03:17 IST

US President Donald Trump has once again taken a dig at former President Barack Obama, this time through a meme mimicking the infamous 1994 OJ Simpson police chase. Shared first by Donald Trump Jr. and then reposted by Trump himself, the doctored image portrays Obama as a fugitive riding in a white Ford Bronco, with Trump chasing in a police cruiser.

But the scene-stealer wasn’t Obama or Trump, it was JD Vance, Trump’s vice-presidential pick, who unexpectedly went viral for his cameo in the meme. Depicted in his long-haired, youthful college-era appearance, Vance appears in a second squad car trailing the chase.

His throwback look, already a recurring social media meme, once again grabbed online attention and gave the image a second life beyond its original intent.

Trump’s digital jabs didn’t end there. He also posted an AI-generated deepfake video showing Obama being arrested in the Oval Office by FBI agents, while Trump stands by watching with a satisfied grin. The video sparked viral reactions, as well as concerns over the increasing use of AI in political propaganda.

These online attacks come amid fresh controversy surrounding the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation. Director of Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic presidential candidate, claims to have “overwhelming” evidence, over 100 documents, that senior Obama-era officials, possibly under Obama’s direct orders, fabricated the Russia collusion narrative in an attempt to derail Trump’s presidency after the 2016 election.

Gabbard said the documents, originally compiled in 2020 and only recently declassified, show the intelligence process was compromised by political pressure and selective sourcing. She plans to submit the evidence to the Department of Justice and the FBI.

- Ends