Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Jane Goodall Likens Trump To A 'Male Chimpanzee' After Watching Montage Of His Behavior–And Yeah, That Tracks

Jane Goodall with chimp in the background; MSNBC screenshot of Donald Trump
Greg Wood/AFP via Getty Images; MSNBC/YouTube

On The Beat with Ari Melber, Jane Goodall analyzed Trump's behavior as akin to a male chimp 'competing for dominance with another.'

Renowned primatologist and environmental activist Jane Goodall likened former Republican President Donald Trump to a "male chimpanzee" after watching a montage of his behavior during an interview on MSNBC.

Speaking on The Beat with Ari Melber, Goodall said Trump's behavior is not unlike the kid "a male chimpanzee will show when he is competing for dominance with another.”


Goodall is, of course, the expert. She is considered the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees and is best known for her 60-year study of social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees since she first went to Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania in 1960, where she witnessed human-like behaviours amongst chimpanzees, including armed conflict.

Goodall made the observation after Melber played her a montage that showed Trump stalking behind Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton during a 2016 debate, hugging and kissing the American flag and calling himself a “perfect physical specimen.”

You can hear what she said in the video below.

Hot Earth Truth: Jane Goodall On Chimps, Conservation And Runaway Capitalism | Summit Series youtu.be

When asked for her opinion on Trump's behavior, Goodall said:

“I see the same sort of behavior as a male chimpanzee will show when he is competing for dominance with another.”
“They’re upright, they swagger, they project themselves as really more large and aggressive than they may actually be in order to intimidate their rivals."

Goodall later commented that "the divisiveness that's being created" in the United States is "a tragedy... that can have ripple effects around the world."

It was a striking observation and most people couldn't help but laugh and agree with it.


Goodall's observation about Trump indicates her opinion has not changed significantly since 2016, when she told The Atlantic that Trump's controversial antics "remind me of male chimpanzees and their dominance rituals."

Noting that male chimpanzees seek to "rise in the dominance hierarchy" by "stamping," "slapping the ground," "dragging branches," and even "throwing rocks," Goodall added that an individual "is likely to rise in the hierarchy" and "maintain that position" the more performative their display.

More from People/donald-trump

Screenshots from @mo0nriverandme0's TikTok video
@mo0nriverandme0/TikTok

Woman Realizes She Accidentally Signed Up For A Gay Running Club—And The Reactions Are Priceless

Always remember to carefully read the descriptions of the groups and activities you sign up for. Otherwise, you might end up having an uncomfortable but terribly fun time!

TikToker Ruwi (@mo0nriverandme0) attempted to sign up for a running group to prepare for a half-marathon, but she only realized when she arrived that she had accidentally signed up for a gay and LGBTQ+-friendly running group.

Keep Reading Show less
Screenshots of Kash Patel and Eric Swalwell
@atrupar/X

Patel Ripped After Reciting ABCs To Avoid Answering Question About Trump And Epstein During Hearing

FBI Director Kash Patel is facing criticism after reciting the alphabet to avoid answering a question from California Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell about whether or he told Attorney General Pam Bondi that President Donald Trump's name is in the Epstein files

Trump has done everything he can these last few weeks to avoid any and all questions about the Epstein files, which are said to contain detailed lists of some of late financier, pedophile, and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein's most high-profile clients and enablers.

Keep Reading Show less
Person knocking over a row of dominoes
Photo by Bradyn Trollip on Unsplash

The Biggest Examples Of 'No Good Deed Goes Unpunished'

For every action we perform, there will be a consequence, whether it's positive or negative in nature.

We might know that, but sometimes, we still find ourselves surprised by what materializes from our actions, especially when we do something good, only for things to not go well for us in return.

Keep Reading Show less
Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, co-founders of Ben & Jerry’s, partnered with MoveOn to hand out free ice cream in Philadelphia.
Lisa Lake/Getty Images for MoveOn

Jerry quits Ben & Jerry's

After nearly half a century of puns, pint-sized protests, and spoon-first diplomacy via Cherry Garcia, Jerry Greenfield is hanging up his scooper.

The “Jerry” in Ben & Jerry’s has resigned after what he says was years of corporate censorship under Unilever—particularly during Trump’s second administration, when speaking up for civil rights suddenly required either a permission slip or a pink slip.

Keep Reading Show less
Luigi Mangione
Curtis Means-Pool/Getty Images

An Official Courtroom Sketch Of Luigi Mangione Is Going Viral For All The Wrong Reasons

Before cameras, courtroom sketch artists served a purpose. Even now, a sketch artist can provide visuals to accompany reporting of trials when no other form of recording during court sessions is allowed.

The artists try to stay close to what the defendant, witnesses, and everyone else look like, but they can sometime veer into the caricature, as Luigi Mangione has found during his heavily publicized court appearances.

Keep Reading Show less