Trump Posts Video Depicting Obamas as Apes: The Most Racist Act from a Modern President
This is not a drill. This is not fake news. Late Thursday night, President Trump posted a video on his social media platform that ended with Barack and Michelle Obama depicted as literal apes in a jungle with ape bodies while “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” played in the background.
Yes, you read that correctly. The President of the United States in 2026 posted a straight-up racist cartoon showing the first Black president and first lady as monkeys.
What Happened
President Trump reposted on his verified Truth Social account—now taken down—a video that depicted the Obamas as apes. It appeared at the end of a one-minute video that promotes false claims that the 2020 presidential election was rigged.
The two-second clip showed the Obamas’ heads edited onto the bodies of primates to the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.”
The video stayed up all night long. It was posted at 11:44 PM on Thursday and sat there for hours while people across the country woke up and saw it and started absolutely freaking out.
Democrats immediately started blasting Trump. But what makes this different? What makes this moment so wild is that Republicans are condemning it, too.
📰 Supporting Independent Journalism
I’m an older journalist with decades of experience, currently without a traditional newsroom position. That’s why I created this independent news website—to keep doing serious, fact-based journalism that respects readers and avoids sensationalism.
This platform is fully independent. We have no corporate sponsors, no partisan funding, and no institutional backing. That independence matters, but it also means we rely entirely on reader support.
Transparency: So far, this work has received just $80 in total support, which makes sustaining this journalism challenging given the time and research involved. I’m currently without a job, and this website is my only way to continue responsible journalism.
If you’re able to help through the support link below, or by sharing this work, it truly makes a difference. Even small contributions help keep this journalism going.
☕ Support This WorkThere’s absolutely no pressure. I’m deeply grateful to those who support this work and who believe as I do that truth still matters and careful journalism is worth protecting.
Republicans Who Dared to Speak Out
Republicans who dared speak about this used unflinching terms to denounce the repost.
Tim Scott (South Carolina Republican, Trump Ally)
“Praying it was fake because it’s the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House. The president should remove it.”
Mike Lawler (Republican House Member)
Said it was “wrong and deeply offensive” and demanded Trump take it down and apologize.
Senator John Curtis (Utah)
Called it “blatantly racist.”
When you lose Tim Scott and other Republicans over something this blatantly racist, you know you crossed a line that cannot be uncrossed.
The White House Defense That Backfired
The White House at first tried to defend it. Can you believe that? They put out a statement calling the criticism “fake outrage”—like we’re all just being too sensitive about the president posting videos of Black people as apes.
“This is fake outrage. This is an internet meme video depicting President Trump as the king of the jungle and Democrats as characters from the Lion King. Please stop with the fake outrage and report on something today that actually matters to the American public.”
But then the backlash got so intense, so universal, that they had to backtrack. They took the video down around midday Friday, and suddenly it was, “Oh, a staffer did it. Trump didn’t know. It was a mistake.”
Trump’s Contradictory Defense
Except Trump himself went on Air Force One and told reporters he watched the video. He just claims he only saw the first part about election fraud conspiracy theories and didn’t watch all the way to the end where the Obamas appear as apes.
That’s not how this works. You’re the president. You don’t get to say “Oops, my bad” on posting videos that depict the most beloved political figures in America as literal animals.
Trump’s own words: “He saw only the first portion of that video and not the racist part of it. He claims he passed it on to a staffer who didn’t review the full video.”
“I am, by the way, the least racist president you’ve had in a long time.”
The Obamas’ Powerful Silence
What Barack and Michelle Obama Did in Response
Absolutely nothing.
They stayed completely silent. They didn’t issue a statement. They didn’t go on TV. They didn’t even acknowledge it.
Instead, they posted about wishing Team USA good luck at the Winter Olympics—like Trump doesn’t even exist.
And that silence is so much more powerful than any angry response could have been because it lets everyone else do the work for them.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ Response
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries went absolutely nuclear on Trump, calling him a “vile, unhinged, and malignant bottom feeder” while praising the Obamas as “brilliant, compassionate, and patriotic Americans.”
International media—from the BBC to German news to French outlets—are all covering this. We have not heard from the Obamas yet about this, but many Democrats are coming to their defense.
Let’s Walk Through Exactly What Happened
Timeline of Events
Thursday Night, 11:44 PM Eastern
Trump’s official account posts a 62-second video. The first part is typical Trump conspiracy theory stuff about the 2020 election being stolen—claims about fraud, all the usual nonsense his base eats up.
The Ending
At the very end of the video, there’s an animated segment set to “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” showing Barack and Michelle Obama with ape bodies in a jungle setting.
It’s not subtle. It’s not some kind of artistic metaphor. It is a straightforward racist depiction using one of the oldest and most disgusting racial stereotypes in American history: the comparison of Black people to monkeys and apes.
Friday Morning
The video sits there overnight. People start seeing it Friday morning as they wake up and check social media.
- Democrats immediately start sounding the alarm
- Progressive groups are organizing
- The NAACP is preparing statements
- Republicans can’t ignore it or defend it because it’s so obviously, undeniably racist
Midday Friday
White House takes the video down and blames a “low-level staffer” (nameless, of course). No responsibility from the president.
Historical Context
This is Jim Crow-era racism. This is the kind of imagery that was used to dehumanize Black Americans for centuries. And Trump shared it with his millions of followers like it was no big deal.
Why This Is Different from Other Trump Controversies
What’s different this time is Republicans can’t ignore it or defend it because it’s so obviously, undeniably racist that there’s no spin that makes it okay.
- Tim Scott—who has spent years defending Trump and making excuses for him—comes out and says this is the most racist thing he’s seen from the White House
- Mike Lawler from New York—a Republican in a swing district who needs suburban voters to win reelection—says the post was wrong and deeply offensive
- Senator John Curtis from Utah calls it blatantly racist
These are not Democrats. These are Republicans who understand that defending this would be political suicide and morally indefensible.
The Botched Damage Control
The White House goes into damage control mode, but they botch it completely:
First Attempt: “Fake Outrage”
They put out a statement saying the criticism is “fake outrage” and trying to spin it as Democrats being too sensitive.
Result: Backfires immediately because Republicans are joining the condemnation. Clearly not just partisan attacks.
Second Attempt: “A Staffer Did It”
They switch tactics and take the video down, claiming a staffer posted it and Trump didn’t know about the ending.
Problem: Trump himself undercuts that excuse when he talks to reporters on Air Force One. He admits he watched the video—just claims he only watched the first part.
Why This Excuse Makes It Worse
- If you’re the president sharing content to millions of people, maybe watch the whole thing before you post it
- His own statement proves he saw at least part of it, meaning he approved it without basic due diligence
- Even if we believe him, it means his social media operation is so chaotic that openly racist content can get posted without anyone catching it
Trump Refuses to Apologize
Reporters ask him directly: “Will you apologize to the Obamas?”
His answer: “No, I didn’t make a mistake”—while simultaneously saying he condemns the racist part and didn’t see it.
The Political Consequences
Immediate Political Damage
For Republicans in Swing Districts
Republicans are terrified right now because they know this video is going to show up in every attack ad from now until November.
If you’re a Republican running in a suburban district in Pennsylvania, Arizona, or Wisconsin, you are absolutely screwed by this because your Democratic opponent is going to hammer you every single day.
The Timing Couldn’t Be Worse
The midterms are 9 months away. Trump needs Republicans to hold Congress or else he’s facing impeachment and 25th Amendment threats.
Losing even a few seats because of this racist video controversy could be the difference between Trump finishing his term and Trump getting removed from office.
The Voters Trump Is Losing
Trump’s Approval and Support
- Overall approval rating: Low 40s (not strong)
- Support with Black voters: 5-8% (basically non-existent)
- Suburban white voters: Turned off by overtly racist content
- College-educated voters: Moving away
- Independents: Getting more uncomfortable
Critical Reality: Those are exactly the voters Trump needs to help Republicans keep Congress. When you post videos of Black people as apes, you lose them immediately.
Trump’s History Makes This Worse
This isn’t the first time he’s shared racially charged or outright racist content. People remember:
- The attacks on Obama’s birth certificate
- Calling countries in Africa certain names
- Inflammatory videos about immigrants and crime
Every single time Trump does something like this, it reinforces the narrative that he’s a racist. And that narrative drives away voters he needs while energizing Democrats.
What This Means for America
The Message to Black Americans
Trump has spent years claiming he’s not racist, pointing to his support among a small slice of Black voters, talking about criminal justice reform and opportunity zones.
But then he goes and posts a video depicting the Obamas as apes, and all of that gets wiped away in an instant.
The message this sends to Black Americans is that even if you become president, even if you serve with dignity and grace and have sky-high approval ratings like Obama still does, the next guy can come in and dehumanize you with racist stereotypes and face basically no real consequences.
Social Media and Presidential Accountability
Trump posted this on his own platform, which he controls, so there’s no outside moderation. No one to stop him except his own team.
That raises huge questions:
- Should presidents have their own social media platforms with no oversight?
- Should there be some kind of review process for official presidential communications?
- Should racist content from a sitting president be grounds for investigation or consequences beyond just bad press?
International Reaction
International media is covering this as a major scandal that reinforces every negative stereotype about Trump and America under his leadership.
- The BBC
- German public broadcasting
- French newspapers
- Outlets from India to the Middle East
That’s the image of America Trump is projecting to the world right now.
The Democratic Opportunity
By posting this video—even if he claims it was an accident—Trump just handed Democrats a massive gift heading into the midterms.
What Democrats Can Now Do
- Run ads in every competitive district showing Republicans either defending Trump’s racism or refusing to condemn it strongly enough
- Mobilize Black voters, young voters, and suburban voters who are disgusted by this
- Make the entire election a referendum on whether America wants to be represented by someone who posts this kind of content
That’s not a fight Trump wins outside of his hardcore base. And his hardcore base alone is not enough to hold Congress.
This was a catastrophic, unforced error. And the fallout is just beginning.
Why Obama’s Silence Is Genius
If Obama had come out with an angry statement, Trump would have made the story about Obama attacking him, and his base would have rallied around him.
Instead, Obama posts about the Olympics and moves on, and the story stays focused on Trump’s racism with no way for him to change the subject.
The Real Revenge
Obama knows that Trump’s worst enemy is Trump himself. So just let him keep talking. Let him keep defending the indefensible. Let him keep making excuses. And the damage compounds.
That’s the revenge: not some public statement or legal action, but simply letting Trump destroy his own credibility and support while Obama looks presidential and above it all.
The Bottom Line
Trump posted one of the most racist things we’ve seen from a modern president. He refused to apologize. His excuses don’t hold up. And the backlash is coming from all sides, including his own party.
Obama doesn’t need to say a word because America is taking revenge for him—through the ballot box, through public opinion, through Republicans finally drawing a line.
What This Really Means
This isn’t just about one stupid video. This is about character. This is about judgment. This is about whether we have a president who sees all Americans as human beings worthy of respect, or whether we have a president who traffics in the most disgusting racial stereotypes whenever it’s politically convenient for him.
And right now, less than 48 hours after this video went up, the answer to that question is pretty damn clear.
The Stakes
We’re not talking about some random troll on the internet. We’re talking about the President of the United States with:
- Access to nuclear weapons
- Control over the Justice Department
- The ability to shape American policy for millions of people
If he’s willing to casually post videos depicting Black Americans as apes, what else is he willing to do when he thinks nobody’s watching?
What Happens Next
Trump’s not going to change. He’ll keep pushing boundaries. He’ll keep testing what he can get away with. But his base is shrinking. His approval is in the low 40s. His support with independents is dropping.
And every incident like this pushes more voters away.
Republicans in Congress are starting to realize that defending Trump might cost them their political careers. And when they start putting their own survival ahead of loyalty to him, that’s when things get dangerous for Trump.
If this costs Trump and the GOP control of Congress in 9 months, well, that’s not just revenge. That’s justice.
Trump bet that he could get away with anything, that his supporters would never abandon him, that racism wouldn’t have consequences.
He’s about to find out he was wrong.
This is the moment where the Trump era starts eating itself, and we all get to watch it happen.
Support Courageous Journalism
Covering stories like this—stories that expose racism and hold power accountable—takes courage and independence.
This kind of unflinching analysis is only possible because this website has no corporate sponsors telling us what we can and cannot say.
If you believe this kind of honest, direct journalism matters, please consider supporting this work.
☕ Support Independent Truth-TellingYour support makes it possible to continue calling out racism and injustice without fear of corporate backlash. Thank you.
⚠️ Content Warning: This article discusses racist imagery and content. We report on it because sunlight is the best disinfectant, and Americans deserve to know what their president is posting.
Editorial Standards: Every claim in this article is based on public statements, social media posts, and news reports. We stand by every word.
