It was a brief post, quickly deleted — but its impact lingered.
President Donald Trump is facing renewed criticism after a video shared on his Truth Social account depicted former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama using imagery long associated with racist caricatures.
When asked whether he would apologize, Trump said plainly that he would not.
The post and the response
The video appeared on Trump’s account on Feb. 5. It showed the faces of Barack and Michelle Obama superimposed onto apes, set to background music, imagery widely recognized as racist.
Speaking to reporters the following day aboard Air Force One, Trump said he did not believe posting the video was a mistake. He described it as a parody tied to election grievances and claimed he did not notice the offensive imagery when he first viewed it.
He declined to offer an apology.
White House reaction and removal
The White House press secretary defended the post, characterizing it as a meme-style video that portrayed Trump as a character from The Lion King and dismissing the backlash as exaggerated.
The video was later removed. A White House official said it had been posted in error by a staff member, though further details about the staffer were not immediately provided.
Criticism from within Trump’s party
The incident drew condemnation not only from Democrats, but also from several Republican lawmakers.
Sen. Tim Scott, a Republican who has previously supported Trump, publicly criticized the video and described it as racist. He urged that it be taken down.
Trump later said he spoke with Scott privately and claimed the senator accepted his explanation.
Why the imagery struck a nerve
The video revived a painful and well-documented racist trope historically used to dehumanize Black people — imagery that has been condemned across political and cultural lines for decades.
For many observers, the post also recalled Trump’s earlier attacks on Barack Obama, including his promotion of false claims questioning Obama’s birthplace and constitutional eligibility for office.
Those claims, repeatedly debunked, played a significant role in shaping Trump’s early political identity.
Why this moment matters
Presidents are not just policymakers; they are symbols of national values.
Critics argue that the sharing of racially offensive imagery — intentional or not — raises serious questions about judgment, accountability, and the tone set by those in power.
Supporters, meanwhile, echo Trump’s view that the reaction has been overblown.
The divide reflects a broader reality of modern political life: in an era of viral posts and instant outrage, even a deleted video can leave a lasting mark.
