Trump won’t apologise despite backlash over video depicting Obamas as apes

In February 2026, Donald Trump, then President of the US, faced backlash for posting a video on his social media account that depicted Barack and Michelle Obama as apes. The video, which was later deleted, was part of a larger screen recording concerning alleged voter fraud in the 2020 election. The depiction was widely condemned as racist. Despite the controversy and public outrage, Trump has refused to apologize for sharing the video. The incident occurred amidst ongoing debates about race and political discourse in the United States.

A racist social media post on President Donald Trump's account, depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as primates, sparked widespread criticism from both Republicans and Democrats. The post was eventually taken down after initially being defended by the White House. Despite the backlash, President Trump stated he would not apologize for the post, asserting he made no mistake. Several Republican figures, including Senators Tim Scott, Roger Wicker, Katie Britt, and Representative Mike Lawler, were mentioned in connection to the event, though their specific reactions were not detailed. The incident occurred on February 6, 2026, as Trump was traveling to Florida.

In February 2026, US President Donald Trump sparked controversy by reposting a video on Truth Social depicting former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama as apes. The post drew immediate bipartisan condemnation, with Republicans like Senator Tim Scott and Representative Mike Lawler calling for its removal, deeming it racist and offensive. Democrats, including Representative Hakeem Jeffries, criticized Trump's history of insensitive remarks and questioned Republican support. The video was eventually removed from Trump's account. The White House initially defended the post as an "internet meme" before later claiming it was shared "erroneously" by a staffer.

Donald Trump sparked outrage by posting a video on Truth Social that included a racist depiction of Barack and Michelle Obama as monkeys. The video, posted on Friday, appears at the end of a longer video promoting false claims about Dominion Voting Systems and the 2020 election. The two-second clip shows the Obamas' faces superimposed on monkeys bobbing to music. The post was part of a larger social media spree by Trump, which included repeating election lies and calls to add his face to Mount Rushmore. Prominent Democrats, including Gavin Newsom's press office, condemned the video as overt racism and called for Republicans to denounce it.

Donald Trump posted a video on his social media platform on Thursday that depicted former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama as monkeys. The one-minute video repeats false allegations about Dominion Voting Systems and the 2020 election. Near the end, the Obamas' faces are superimposed on monkeys for approximately one second, accompanied by the song "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." The video has drawn condemnation from prominent Democrats, including the office of California Governor Gavin Newsom. As of early Friday morning, the video had garnered several thousand likes on Trump's platform.