US EditionWhite House Removes Trump Post Depicting Obamas as Monkeys, Says It Was Posted in Error
President Trump reposted a racist AI video targeting the Obamas on Truth Social, which was deleted after bipartisan criticism and calls for apology including from Republican Sen. Tim Scott.
- On February 6, 2026, President Donald Trump reposted a clip depicting Obama and Michelle as apes; the White House said a staffer 'erroneously made the post' and it was removed roughly twelve hours later.
- The clip originates from a circulating conservative meme and AI edit promoting debunked 2020 election conspiracy claims, with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt initially defending it during Black History Month.
- The clip runs one minute and two seconds, and the final seconds feature the song 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight' over the visuals, spreading quickly online with more than 1,000 likes early Friday.
- Sen. Tim Scott and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries condemned the post as racist, while the White House did not apologize, and reporters questioned Trump on Friday night.
- Coming during Black History Month, the post revived historically racist simian tropes, with critics linking it to patterns of AI-generated visuals targeting opponents, including Barack Obama.
473 Articles
473 Articles
Donald Trump refuses to apologise for racist post about Obamas as monkeys, says ‘I didn't make a mistake'
Trump acknowledged watching part of a controversial video that led to White House damage control. He claimed the initial segment was acceptable, but a staffer failed to view the entire content before posting.
Trump refuses to apologize over video showing the Obamas as apes
ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE — President Donald Trump declined to apologize for sharing a social media video that depicted Barack and Michelle Obama as apes, saying he did not realize the image of the former president and first lady was tacked on to the end of the clip. The president said Friday that he had watched and passed along the video — which focused on claims of voter fraud until the final seconds of the clip — to unidentified “people” to post t…
Trump deletes racist Obama video after backlash, including from Republicans
U.S. President Donald Trump removed a Truth Social video that depicted former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama with their faces superimposed on primate bodies, after a wave of criticism that included condemnation from some Republicans.
Trump Condemns Video Showing Obamas as Apes after Removal
WASHINGTON, Feb 6 (Reuters) – President Donald Trump condemned a video posted on his social media account depicting Democratic former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama as apes, after it drew widespread criticism — including from some Republicans — for dehumanizing people of African descent.
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