President Donald Trump shared a video showing Barack and Michelle Obama with monkey faces on social media, then refused to apologize when confronted about it aboard Air Force One.
Story Overview
- Trump released a video Thursday evening combining debunked election fraud claims with a racist animation showing the Obamas as apes.
- The White House removed the post Friday after bipartisan condemnation, first defending it as a meme before blaming a staffer.
- Trump claimed he only looked at the election fraud part, condemned racism in general, but refused to apologize to the Obamas.
- Republican Sen. Tim Scott called it “the most racist thing” in the White House, while Democrats demanded the GOP reject it.
- The former president and first lady declined to comment, only posting a message about the Olympics a few hours later.
When defense becomes the story
Trump posted the controversial video on Thursday at 11:44 p.m. on his social media platform. The content married election conspiracy theories with images superimposing the Obamas’ faces onto monkey bodies during the broadcast of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” On Friday morning, criticism erupted from both political parties. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt initially dismissed the post as an Internet meme depicting Trump as the “king of the jungle,” before turning around to claim that a staffer had made a mistake. The administration deleted the post around noon Friday.
The confrontation with Air Force One
Reporters questioned Trump aboard Air Force One Friday evening about his responsibility for the racist content. He insisted he only watched the initial segment on election fraud before handing it over to staff to post. Trump condemned racism in general terms, stating “Of course I do”, but explicitly refused to apologize to the Obamas. His explanation contradicted the White House narrative that a junior employee was acting independently. The president’s admission that he reviewed and approved the release of the video undermines the administration’s attempt to distance him from racist images.
Republicans face an uncomfortable reckoning
Sen. Tim Scott, the only black Republican senator and chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, called the video “the most racist thing I’ve seen in the White House.” Trump personally called Scott on Friday to explain the staff error defense. Republican Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi called the post “totally unacceptable” and demanded its removal and an apology. The bipartisan condemnation represents a rare breakdown in GOP unity, forcing Republicans to choose between party loyalty and denouncing overtly racist content. Democrats rose to the occasion and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries called Trump a “vile bottom eater.”
The racist imagery invoked historical tropes comparing Black Americans to primates, a dehumanizing tactic deeply rooted in American racism. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer demanded removal and an apology, calling the video “racist” and “vile.” The Obamas maintained a dignified silence, posting about the Winter Olympics only hours after the controversy erupted. Their refusal to engage directly has deprived Trump of the confrontation he often seeks when criticism piles up.
Responsibility evaporates in the blame game
The White House’s shifting explanations reveal a familiar pattern when controversial social media posts come from Trump’s accounts. First there was the defense of the content itself, presenting it as harmless political commentary. Responsibility was later shifted to unnamed staffers when public pressure intensified. Trump’s acknowledgment that he personally reviewed and approved the distribution of the video contradicts the account of junior staff. This contradiction reveals the “staff excuse” as precisely what critics have called it: a transparent attempt to avoid accountability for content that the president himself green-lighted.
Trump on racist video: ‘I gave it to people, they posted it.’
was not posted in error by a staff member https://t.co/qfWyYo8ial– Laura Rozen (@lrozen) February 7, 2026
The incident demonstrates how social media platforms amplify political divisions while raising questions about content moderation standards for elected officials. Trump’s history of sharing unverified and inflammatory content continues unabated, with staff defense repeatedly deployed when backlash arises. The refusal to apologize indicates that political calculation trumps contrition, even when a bipartisan consensus emerges that the content transgresses basic lines of decency. It remains unclear whether the episode affects Trump’s support among black voters or Republican unity, but it has given Democrats ammunition for future elections while fracturing the Republican coalition that usually reflexively defends the president.
Sources:
Trump shares video that includes racist depiction of Obama, sparking backlash – ABC News
Trump shares video that includes racist depiction of Obama, sparking backlash – 6ABC
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