Former President Donald Trump is facing renewed backlash after sharing a video on his Truth Social account that depicted former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as primates. The video, which appeared during a late-night posting spree, was embedded in an unrelated clip promoting false claims of voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election.
The imagery immediately sparked outrage across social media and among civil rights leaders, historians, and elected officials from both parties. Comparing Black people to apes is a long-standing racist trope in the United States, historically used to dehumanize people of African descent. The post was shared during Black History Month, further intensifying criticism.
California Governor Gavin Newsom called the post “disgusting” and urged Republicans to denounce it. That condemnation did come from within Trump’s own party. Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, the Senate’s lone Black Republican, publicly criticized the video, calling it racist and asking for its removal. Civil rights leaders, including NAACP President Derrick Johnson and Rev. Bernice King, also condemned the post as blatantly racist and deeply disrespectful.
Initial reports indicated the video remained online even after backlash. It was later deleted following mounting criticism from civil rights organizations and Republican lawmakers. Trump’s team attributed the post to a staffer, placing responsibility on a subordinate rather than the former president himself.
The White House defended the post at one point, characterizing it as part of an internet meme, a response that drew further scrutiny given Trump’s long history of promoting conspiracy theories about President Obama, including false claims about his birthplace and repeated assertions of voter fraud despite a lack of evidence.
The controversy unfolded alongside a flurry of other Trump-related developments, including his promotion of an Invest America Super Bowl ad focused on children’s savings accounts, ongoing immigration enforcement actions drawing criticism from advocates, and reports that he is withholding federal funding for a New York infrastructure project unless landmarks are named after him. Meanwhile, federal agencies such as the FBI are preparing for upcoming midterm elections amid heightened political tensions.
For many critics, the issue extends beyond partisan politics. The widespread condemnation reflects a broader rejection of rhetoric and imagery that reinforces racism, regardless of political affiliation. As reactions continue, the incident underscores ongoing concerns about the tone and impact of political discourse in the United States.
The White House has been contacted for further comment.
