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Trump White House Scrambles After Racist Post Depicting Obamas as Apes
In February 2026, the Trump White House ignited a firestorm of criticism after a video shared on President Donald Trump’s Truth Social account included a brief clip showing former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama with their faces superimposed on the bodies of apes — imagery long understood as a racist trope demeaning Black people.
What Happened — And How the White House Responded
Late on Thursday night, Trump’s social media account posted a roughly one-minute video that primarily pushed dubious claims about the 2020 U.S. election. Near the end of the clip, the Obamas appeared as dancing apes set to the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.”
Initially, the White House defended the post, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt calling the backlash “fake outrage” and describing the segment as part of an “internet meme video” portraying Democrats as characters from The Lion King.
But by Friday morning the tide had turned. The post was removed, and a senior White House official said it had been shared “erroneously” by a staffer. Trump later said he hadn’t seen the whole video before it went live.
When asked if he would apologise for the episode, Trump refused, saying he did not believe he had made a mistake because he only watched part of the clip — even as he claimed to “of course” condemn the offensive imagery.
Bipartisan Backlash — Even From Trump Allies
The post drew bipartisan condemnation:
• Republican Senator Tim Scott, the only Black Republican in the Senate, called the video “the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House” and urged its removal.
• Democratic leaders denounced the imagery as demeaning and harmful, with the Congressional Black Caucus chair calling the episode evidence of a “bigoted and racist regime.”
• Other Republicans, including Rep. Mike Lawler, described the video as offensive and urged Trump to apologise.
Civil rights groups and commentators also weighed in, noting that equating Black public figures with apes has a long history in racist caricature and dehumanisation.
Context and Reactions Beyond Washington
The incident occurred during Black History Month, which added to the sensitivity and intensity of the reaction. Media figures and commentators condemned the post; on television, commentators labelled it deeply offensive and questioned the White House’s handling of the fallout.
Some commentators and social media users expressed scepticism about the White House’s claim that a staffer was solely responsible, arguing that Trump’s pattern of sharing provocative content suggested deeper responsibility.
What This Means Politically
The episode highlights ongoing tensions over race, political rhetoric, and social media in U.S. politics:
• For Trump, who hangs on social media for direct communication with supporters, missteps like this amplify longstanding controversies over racially charged content.
• For critics, the image underscored concerns about racial insensitivity and the use of demeaning motifs targeting prominent Black figures.
• For allies of Trump, public criticism from within the Republican Party suggested discomfort with overtly racist portrayals, even among some of the president’s supporters.
Looking Ahead
While the immediate incident has been addressed through deletion of the post, it is likely to reverberate through the remainder of the 2026 political cycle — energising both Trump’s base and his critics, and raising tough questions about standards for political communication and respect for historic leaders in American public life.
Attached is a news article regarding the obamas posting as apes on the government official site
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce8r8y78g10o
Article written and configured by Christopher Stanley
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