President Donald Trump shared a video depicting Barack and Michelle Obama with ape faces on social media, then refused to apologize when confronted about it aboard Air Force One.
Story Snapshot
- Trump posted a video late Thursday night combining debunked election fraud claims with a racist animation showing the Obamas as apes
- The White House deleted the post Friday after bipartisan condemnation, initially defending it as a meme before blaming a staffer
- Trump claimed he only reviewed the election fraud portion, condemned racism generally, but refused to apologize to the Obamas
- Republican Senator Tim Scott called it “the most racist thing” from the White House, while Democrats demanded GOP repudiation
- The former president and first lady declined to comment, posting only an Olympics message hours later
When the Defense Becomes the Story
Trump posted the controversial video at 11:44 p.m. Thursday on his social media platform. The content married election conspiracy theories with imagery that superimposed the Obamas’ faces onto ape bodies while “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” played. By Friday morning, criticism erupted from both political parties. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt initially characterized the post as an internet meme portraying Trump as “King of the Jungle” before pivoting to claim a staffer made an error. The administration removed the post around noon Friday.
The Air Force One Confrontation
Reporters questioned Trump aboard Air Force One Friday evening about his responsibility for the racist content. He insisted he viewed only the initial election fraud segment before giving it to staff for posting. 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 staffer acted independently. The president’s admission that he reviewed and approved the video for posting undermines the administration’s attempt to distance him from the racist imagery.
Republicans Face an Uncomfortable Reckoning
Senator Tim Scott, the only Black Republican senator and chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, called the video “the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House.” Trump personally telephoned Scott Friday to explain the staffer error defense. Republican Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi labeled the post “totally unacceptable” and urged removal and apology. This bipartisan condemnation represents a rare breach in GOP unity, forcing Republicans to choose between party loyalty and denouncing overtly racist content. Democrats pounced on the opportunity with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries calling Trump a “vile bottom feeder.”
The racist imagery invoked historical tropes comparing Black Americans to primates, a dehumanizing tactic with deep roots in American racism. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer demanded deletion and apology, describing the video as “racist” and “vile.” The Obamas maintained dignified silence, posting only about the Winter Olympics hours after the controversy erupted. Their refusal to engage directly denied Trump the confrontation he often seeks when criticism mounts.
Accountability Evaporates in the Blame Game
The shifting White House explanations expose a familiar pattern when controversial social media posts originate from Trump’s accounts. First came defense of the content itself, framing it as harmless political commentary. Then responsibility shifted to unnamed staff members once public pressure intensified. Trump’s acknowledgment that he personally reviewed and approved the video for distribution contradicts the junior staffer narrative. This contradiction reveals the “staffer excuse” as precisely what critics labeled it: a transparent attempt to avoid accountability for content the president himself greenlit.
Trump on racist video: “I gave it to the people, they posted it.”
was not posted by a staffer in error 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 the staffer defense deployed repeatedly when backlash arrives. The refusal to apologize signals that political calculation outweighs contrition, even when bipartisan consensus emerges that content crossed fundamental lines of decency. Whether this episode affects Trump’s support among Black voters or Republican unity remains uncertain, but it handed Democrats ammunition for future elections while fracturing the GOP coalition that typically defends the president reflexively.
Sources:
Trump shares video that includes racist depiction of Obamas, sparking backlash – ABC News
Trump shares video that includes racist depiction of Obamas, sparking backlash – 6ABC
