Trump Says He Didn’t See Racist Part of Obama Video Before Posting
Donald Trump amplified a video on his Truth Social account that included a brief, historically racist depiction of former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes and it sparked bipartisan condemnation before being deleted. The episode matters because it has thrown the White House into a major backlash loop less than 24 hours after the initial post.
Critics said the imagery invoked racist tropes rooted in dehumanization, drawing swift denunciations from leaders in both parties and civil-rights groups. Republican Sen. Tim Scott called it “the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House,” and Democrats said Trump and fellow Republicans must condemn the post.
The roughly 62-second clip shared late Thursday focused largely on unfounded claims about the 2020 election but included about two seconds showing the Obamas superimposed onto primate bodies with a “Lion King”-style backdrop.
Complicating the story, the White House first defended the content, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissing outrage as “fake” and calling it a meme showing Trump as “King of the Jungle,” before later saying a staffer had erroneously posted it.
Trump told reporters he “looked at the beginning” of the video and hadn’t seen the offensive part and said he would not apologize. “I didn’t make a mistake,” he said.
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The mixed messaging from the White House and the president’s own comments underline internal disagreements and raise questions about oversight of official communications.
Legal and civil-rights groups have long warned that AI-generated misleading political imagery can inflame tensions, and this incident adds fuel to that debate.
As fallout continues, lawmakers from both parties are expected to press the White House for answers, and calls for a formal condemnation or explanation are likely to persist into next week.
This incident leaves unresolved how the president’s social media accounts and aides will be held accountable for vetting content going forward.
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