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.'

Make us preferred on Google

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

CVS Warns Pet Owner They'll Lose Access To Dog's Medical Records Once He Turns 18 And Is A 'Legal Adult'—And Here Come The Jokes
Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images; @AutumnTweets/X

CVS Warns Pet Owner They'll Lose Access To Dog's Medical Records Once He Turns 18 And Is A 'Legal Adult'—And Here Come The Jokes

CVS pharmacies recently announced they'll begin carrying pet medications at their locations, but it seems like they haven't quiiiite worked out the kinks for the new service.

X user and pet owner @AutumnTweets has gone viral after sharing how her first experience with CVS pet meds has gone. And in a word, it's hilarious.

Keep Reading Show less
Chelsea Handler; Joe Rogan
Steve Granitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images; Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images

Chelsea Handler Sounds Off After Learning Massive Sum Joe Rogan Is Making For His Podcast This Year—And She's Spot On

Forbes magazine recently released its list of the "Highest-Paid Podcasters of 2026." To promote the article, the magazine shared a teaser on Instagram listing the top 20 and their estimated earnings.

Topping the list was conspiracy theory and medical misinformation promoting comedian turned UFC broadcaster and podcaster Joe Rogan at $82 million for his The Joe Rogan Experience.

Keep Reading Show less
Ken Jennings
JC Olivera/Variety via Getty Images

'Jeopardy!' Host Clarifies His Stance On Trans Rights After Snarky Comment On Social Media Sparks Debate

Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings asserted his support for the transgender community after a joke he made on BlueSky attracted attention from conservative news outlets that spun his remarks to cast him as anti-trans.

The controversy began after Jennings posted about a game he plays with his wife while completing Spelling Bee, one of the games published by The New York Times. Although some followers joined in, many others criticized Jennings for promoting a Times product.

Keep Reading Show less
Ireland Baldwin (left) spoke out after Perez Hilton's (right) hospitalization.
Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Comedy Central; Denise Truscello/Getty Images for Grant A Gift for Autism

Ireland Baldwin Shares Complicated Feelings Around Perez Hilton's Hospitalization After He 'Publicly Humiliated My Family For Years'

Ireland Baldwin is speaking out after Perez Hilton's hospitalization, sharing mixed emotions while reflecting on the years she says the celebrity gossip blogger publicly targeted her family. The response comes after Hilton was hospitalized following a distressing TikTok livestream on August 4 that left many viewers alarmed.

Deputies were dispatched to the 48-year-old's Florida home, where he was later hospitalized under Florida's Baker Act, which allows authorities to temporarily detain someone for a mental health evaluation if they are believed to pose a danger to themselves or others.

Keep Reading Show less
Leon Gillespie as the Grim Reaper
@Ohgoditsliz/YouTube

Man Goes Viral After Getting Arrested For Standing On Hospital Roof Dressed As Grim Reaper And Staring At Patients

In an overuse of free will and dark humor, 26-year-old Leon Gillespie was arrested and charged a £200 fine for appearing as the Grim Reaper on the roof of the Ysbyty Glan Clwyd hospital in St. Asaph, Denbighshire.

Though Gillespie attempted to plead that he had appeared as a black "crow" on the roof of the hospital, the judge at Llandudno Magistrates in North Wales wasn't convinced, as the costume included a hood and a long blade, looking like the standard Grim Reaper with its scythe.

Keep Reading Show less