President Donald Trump condemned but firmly refused to apologize for a racist video posted on his Truth Social account that depicted former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes. The incident, which unfolded in early February 2026 during Black History Month, sparked widespread backlash from both Democrats and some Republicans.
The video was shared late Thursday night as part of a longer clip promoting Trump’s long-standing, unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election, which he lost to Joe Biden. The main portion of the roughly one-minute video focused on false allegations involving voting machines and companies like Dominion Voting Systems. At the end, however, it included a brief, offensive segment: the faces of Barack and Michelle Obama were superimposed onto the bodies of cartoon apes in a jungle setting, with the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” playing in the background. This imagery drew on a centuries-old racist trope that has historically been used to dehumanize Black people.
The post quickly drew sharp criticism. Republican Senator Tim Scott, the only Black Republican in the Senate at the time, called it “the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House” and urged its immediate removal. Other Republicans, including Senator Roger Wicker and Representative Mike Lawler, described the content as “totally unacceptable” or “incredibly offensive” and called for an apology. Democrats were even more forceful. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries labeled Trump a “vile, unhinged and malignant bottom feeder” and demanded strong condemnation from GOP leaders. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the post “racist, vile, [and] abhorrent,” questioning why more Republicans had not spoken out. California Governor Gavin Newsom also condemned it as “disgusting behavior” and urged every Republican to denounce it.
The White House initially defended the post, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt describing it as part of an internet meme portraying Trump as the “King of the Jungle” (a lion) and various Democrats as animals. She dismissed the outrage as “fake” and urged focus on other issues. However, by midday Friday, the video was deleted from Trump’s account. Officials then claimed a staffer—possibly aide Natalie Harp, who has access to the account—had posted it without full review or the president’s knowledge of the ending.
When questioned by reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday evening, Trump offered a mixed response. He said he condemned the racist portion, stating, “Of course I do.” Yet he insisted he had only viewed the first part of the video, which dealt with election claims, and had not seen the offensive clip at the end. He blamed staff for the oversight but maintained, “I didn’t make a mistake” and refused to apologize. Trump noted that he had spoken with Senator Scott, who he said “understood that 100%.”
The episode renewed concerns about Trump’s history of controversial rhetoric on race, including past attacks on immigrants and other figures. Groups like the NAACP strongly criticized the video as “blatantly racist, disgusting, and utterly despicable,” with President Derrick Johnson linking it to broader distractions from issues like economic concerns or other controversies. While some Republicans spoke out, many in congressional leadership, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson, remained silent.
The incident highlighted ongoing debates about Trump’s use of social media, his influence within the Republican Party, and the persistence of racial tensions in American politics. The video was removed after about 12 hours online, but the controversy continued to fuel discussions about accountability and the role of online content in public discourse.
