...
By Gabe Whisnant and Peter Aitken
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
President Donald Trump has deleted the Truth Social post that depicted former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes.
A person familiar with the matter told Politico's Sophia Cai, "President Trump didn’t see the video (legitimately didn’t), a staffer posted it."
Why It Matters
Trump has made extensive use of social media, posting memes and artificial intelligence (AI)-generated content that has stirred up no end of controversy, including his now-famous video in which he drops brown sludge on "No Kings" protesters and AI videos depicting the arrest of former President Barack Obama.
Read More
The White House has consistently dismissed outrage or backlash to these posts as fake or performative; experts argue that the posts are intended to distract the public from bigger, more serious issues.
Obama was the first Black president of the United States, and depictions of Black public figures as primates have a long history in racist caricature.
...
What To Know
The video was published on the president's Truth Social account at 11:44 p.m. ET on Thursday night. Nearly all of the 62-second clip—one of dozens of Truth Social posts from Trump overnight—appears to be drawn from a conservative video that falsely alleges deliberate tampering with voting machines in battleground states during the 2020 presidential vote count.
Near the end of the video, however, is a brief clip of two primates with the smiling faces of the Obamas superimposed.
The clip appears to come from a longer video previously circulated by prominent conservative meme creator Xerias, posted in October on his X account. The video portrays Trump as the "King of the Jungle" and depicts several Democratic leaders as animals, including President Joe Biden, who is shown as a primate eating a banana.
Earlier Friday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt rejected criticism of the post that depicted the Obamas, who are Democrats.
"This is from an internet meme video depicting President Trump as the King of the Jungle and Democrats as characters from the Lion King," Leavitt said by text, referring to Disney's 1994 feature film. "Please stop the fake outrage and report on something today that actually matters to the American public."
But Republican backlash had already started to grow, most prominently from South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, who is the sole Black Republican in the Senate. Scott wrote on X: "Praying it was fake because it’s the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House. The President should remove it."
New York Representative Mike Lawler, also a Republican, called the post "wrong and incredibly offensive," noting that the video could have been posted by mistake, but insisting that it "should be deleted immediately with an apology offered."
What People Are Saying
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, on X: "Racist. Vile. Abhorrent. This is dangerous and degrades our country—where are Senate Republicans? The President must immediately delete the post and apologize to Barack and Michelle Obama, two great Americans who make Donald Trump look like a small, envious man."
Republicans Against Trump on X in response to Scott's post: "'Praying it was fake'? It’s still on Trump’s Truth Social more than 10 hours later, and the WH spokesperson confirmed it. What are you going to DO besides tweet?"
California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, on X: "Disgusting behavior by the President. Every single Republican must denounce this. Now."
What Happens Next
Obama has not publicly responded to the video and the backlash.
Update 2/6/26, 1:07 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
In a polarized era, the center is dismissed as bland. At Newsweek, ours is different: The Courageous Center—it's not "both sides," it's sharp, challenging and alive with ideas. We follow facts, not factions. If that sounds like the kind of journalism you want to see thrive, we need you.
When you become a Newsweek Member, you support a mission to keep the center strong and vibrant. Members enjoy: Ad-free browsing, exclusive content and editor conversations. Help keep the center courageous. Join today.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines