Trump Deletes Truth Social Post After Backlash Over Racist Obama Video

In a week that has seen political tensions reach a fertile peak, a new flashpoint emerged late Thursday night that has drawn condemnation from across the ideological spectrum. President Donald Trump’s Truth Social account shared a video that included a blatant racist trope: a depiction of former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes.

The incident, occurring in the first week of Black History Month, has reignited a fierce debate over the White House’s use of social media and the recurring use of dehumanizing imagery in political discourse.

The Timeline of a Controversy

The video, which appeared on the President’s account around 11:44 PM on February 5, 2026, primarily focused on debunked conspiracy theories regarding the 2020 election. However, at the 60-second mark, the clip cut to an image of the Obamas’ faces superimposed onto the bodies of primates dancing to the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.”

What followed was a 24-hour cycle of defense, deletion, and deflection:

• Initial Defense: On Friday morning, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the criticism as “fake outrage,” describing the clip as a harmless “internet meme” depicting the President as the “King of the Jungle.”
• The Deletion: After 12 hours online and mounting pressure from within the Republican party, the post was scrubbed.
• The Explanation: A White House official later stated the post was made “erroneously” by a staffer.
• Trump’s Response: Speaking from Air Force One on Friday night, President Trump claimed he only watched the “first part” of the video and didn’t see the ending. While he stated he “condemned” the racist portion, he flatly refused to apologize, stating, “No, I didn’t make a mistake.”

Bipartisan Condemnation

The reaction was swift and, notably, included rare public rebukes from high-ranking Republicans.

Senator Tim Scott, the lone Black Republican in the Senate and a frequent ally of the President, called the post “the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House.” Meanwhile, Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) labeled it “wrong and incredibly offensive,” calling for an immediate apology.

On the Democratic side, the language was even sharper. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries described the President as a “vile, unhinged and malignant bottom feeder,” while former Obama advisor Ben Rhodes wrote that the incident would serve as a “stain on our history.”

Why This Matters

Comparing Black people to apes is not a “new” or “accidental” insult. As many historians and civil rights leaders, including Bernice King, pointed out this week, this specific imagery has a centuries-long history of being used to dehumanize people of African descent to justify violence and systemic oppression.

The NAACP released a statement emphasizing that the timing—during Black History Month—served as a “stark reminder” of the current political climate.

What’s Next?

While the White House has attempted to close the chapter by blaming an unnamed staffer, the incident has raised significant questions about the vetting process for the President’s communications. It also highlights the growing role of AI-generated memes in mainstream political messaging—and the potential for such tools to amplify historical prejudices.