Trump Removes Racist Video Depicting Obamas After Political Firestorm

US President Donald Trump has deleted a controversial social media video that included a racist depiction of former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama, following intense backlash from both Democrats and members of his own party.

The video, shared on Trump’s Truth Social account late Thursday night, featured a montage promoting false claims of voter fraud in the 2020 US presidential election. Near the end of the 62-second clip, Barack and Michelle Obama appeared as apes accompanied by the song The Lion Sleeps Tonight—an image widely condemned for echoing historically racist caricatures of Black people.

WATCH: The full Barack Obama “monkey video” portrays numerous elected officials, Republicans and Democrats, as Lion King-like characters, with Trump as a lion and king of the jungle.
Everyone’s an animal. Trump is the lion KING of the jungle
Dems are various animals. Obamas… pic.twitter.com/QEnEphdrHX

— Ape𝕏 (@CubanOnlyTrump) February 6, 2026

Bipartisan Condemnation Forces Removal

The post triggered immediate condemnation across the political spectrum. Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, the only Black Republican in the US Senate and a close Trump ally, described the clip as “the most racist thing” he had seen from the White House and publicly urged its removal.

Other Republicans echoed that criticism. New York Representative Mike Lawler called the video “incredibly offensive,” stating that it should be deleted with an apology, whether the post was intentional or not. Nebraska Senator Pete Ricketts also argued that the racist context was unmistakable, regardless of intent.

Amid growing pressure, the White House confirmed the video had been removed, attributing its posting to a staff error.

Racist Donald Trump’s Post on Truth Social – Obamas as Apes?

White House Response Draws Further Scrutiny

Initially, the White House defended the clip as part of an “internet meme,” dismissing criticism as “fake outrage.” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed the video was a parody portraying Trump as the “King of the Jungle” and Democrats as characters from The Lion King. That explanation failed to contain the backlash.

Civil rights leaders strongly condemned the post. NAACP President Derrick Johnson called it “disgusting and utterly despicable,” accusing Trump of using racial provocation to distract from ongoing political and legal controversies.

Democratic leaders were equally scathing. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries labeled Trump’s behavior “vile and unhinged,” while governors Gavin Newsom and JB Pritzker described the post as overtly racist and demanded unified Republican condemnation.

 

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A Pattern of Provocative Online Conduct

The episode reignites concerns over Trump’s use of provocative, misleading, and AI-generated content online. The president has repeatedly shared altered images and conspiracy-driven videos, particularly related to the 2020 election, despite multiple court rulings and investigations debunking those claims.

Trump’s long-running antagonism toward Barack Obama—including past promotion of false “birther” theories—has further intensified scrutiny of his actions.

Praying it was fake because it’s the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House. The President should remove it. https://t.co/gADoM13ssZ

— Tim Scott (@votetimscott) February 6, 2026

Political Fallout Ahead

While the Obamas have not publicly responded, the incident underscores growing unease within Republican ranks as the US approaches critical elections. The rare removal of the post highlights the scale of the backlash and raises fresh questions about leadership, accountability, and the boundaries of political rhetoric in the digital age.