- White House attributes racist video depicting Obamas as primates to staffer error, says it has been removed
- Video posted amid Black History Month sparks bipartisan condemnation, including from Republican Senator Tim Scott
- Incident amplifies Trump's history of inflammatory rhetoric and Obama-related conspiracy theories
White House Staffer Blamed for Racist Obama Video
President Trump shared a 62-second video on Truth Social late Thursday night depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as jungle primates, with the White House later claiming a staffer erroneously posted it from what they described as a "Lion King" meme. According to people familiar with the matter, the video was deleted following immediate backlash, though no apology has been issued by Trump himself as of Friday morning.
The video, which originated from conservative meme circles portraying Trump as "King of the Jungle" and Democrats as animals, ended with the Obamas' faces superimposed on primates in what critics called a centuries-old racist trope. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt initially defended the content as political satire before attributing it to what she called "an unfortunate staff error in content review."
Bipartisan Condemnation Amid Black History Month
The timing proved particularly inflammatory, coming during Black History Month just days after Trump issued a proclamation praising Black American contributions. Republican Senator Tim Scott, who has previously been a Trump ally, called it "the most racist thing I've seen out of this White House" in comments to reporters Friday morning. Representative Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) joined the criticism, publicly calling for both deletion and an apology.
Democrats and civil rights organizations responded with stronger language. The NAACP issued a statement describing the video as "blatantly racist and disgusting," noting that depicting Black people as monkeys represents a dehumanizing trope dating to slavery-era propaganda. Republicans Against Trump, a conservative anti-Trump group, called it "another low in a presidency marked by racial division."
Ongoing Fallout and Historical Context
Public reactions on social media platforms highlighted what many called factual errors in the White House's defense, with numerous users pointing out there are no apes in Disney's The Lion King. The incident occurs against a backdrop of Trump's long history of Obama attacks, including his promotion of birther conspiracy theories and what he admitted in December 2025 were "shithole countries" remarks about African nations.
Historians interviewed for background noted that primate imagery targeting Black Americans represents one of the most persistent racist tropes in U.S. history, used historically to justify slavery and segregation. Trump has continued to share provocative memes and AI-generated videos throughout his presidency, including a September 2025 deepfake targeting Democratic leaders Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer.
Current Developments and Stakeholder Impact
Sources close to the situation indicate the backlash continues to build Friday, with particular attention on how Republican leadership will respond. The incident affects multiple stakeholders including Black communities, Trump's political allies facing reelection pressures, and Obama supporters who have long criticized what they see as racially charged attacks.
While the White House maintains the video was removed and resulted from staff error, critics question this explanation given Trump's personal control over his Truth Social account and his history of sharing similar content. No disciplinary action against any staffer has been announced, and attempts to reach the White House communications office for additional comment Friday morning were unsuccessful.
Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated the video was posted Wednesday night. It was posted Thursday night, February 5, 2026.