Trump Deletes Racist Video on Obamas, Refuses to Apologise

February 7, 2026

U.S. President Donald Trump has deleted a controversial video from his Truth Social account that depicted former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes a racist trope that has long been used to demean Black people. The video was taken down after widespread bipartisan condemnation from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers who called it offensive and unacceptable.

Despite the deletion, Trump refused to apologies, saying he had not made a mistake and did not watch the full clip before it was posted.

What the Video Showed

The now-deleted video, shared late Thursday night, was about 62 seconds long and promoted false claims about the 2020 U.S. election. Near the end, the faces of Barack and Michelle Obama were briefly superimposed onto the bodies of primates in a jungle setting, accompanied by the song The Lion Sleeps Tonight.

The imagery drew immediate outrage, given its historically racist implications the dehumanizing comparison of Black individuals to animals.

White House Response and Deletion

The White House initially defended the post. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described it as an “internet meme video” likening Trump to the “King of the Jungle” with Democrats as characters from The Lion King, dismissing criticisms as “fake outrage.”

However, as criticism intensified, including from key Republican figures, the post was deleted about 12 hours later, and officials said it was mistakenly shared by a staff member.

Trump’s Reaction: No Apology

When asked by reporters whether he would apologise, Trump said “No, I didn’t make a mistake,” insisting that he had only seen the start of the clip and believed it was about voter fraud claims.

He claimed he had passed the video on after viewing the beginning portion and that staff should have reviewed it fully. Trump maintained that he condemned the racist content but did not accept blame or offer an apology.

Bipartisan Backlash

The reaction was swift and widespread:

• Senator Tim Scott, the only Black Republican in the U.S. Senate, called the imagery “the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House,” urging its removal.

• Senators Roger Wicker and other Republicans also labelled the content offensive and demanded corrective action.

• Democrats, including House leaders, condemned the post as demeaning and harmful to national discourse.

The controversy came amid Black History Month, intensifying criticism of the post’s timing and content.

Political Implications

This incident underscores ongoing tensions in U.S. political discourse around race, accountability and social media usage by political leaders. Trump’s defence blaming staff and refusing to apologies has drawn criticism from both sides of the aisle, with some viewing it as indicative of broader issues in how political messaging is handled at the highest level.

Conclusion

While the racist video was removed from Trump’s social platform following bipartisan uproar, the president’s refusal to apologise has kept the controversy alive. The episode has triggered discussion about racial sensitivity, political responsibility and the impact of digital media in shaping public perception of national leaders.