WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump sparks widespread condemnation after a racially offensive video briefly appears on his Truth Social account, portraying former president Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as monkeys. The post, shared late Thursday and deleted hours later, draws criticism from both Democrats and Republicans, forcing the White House into a rare retreat.
The video, which promotes debunked conspiracy theories about Trump’s 2020 election loss, includes a fleeting but inflammatory clip mocking the Obamas, the first Black first couple in US history. Initial White House responses dismiss the controversy as manufactured outrage, describing the imagery as part of a broader meme attacking Democrats.
By Friday, the administration reverses course. A White House official tells AFP that a staff member mistakenly posted the video and confirms it has been taken down. Trump later tells reporters aboard Air Force One that he did not watch the entire clip before approving its posting and says he condemns the racist imagery.
Democrats reject the explanation, calling it a cover-up. Former vice president Kamala Harris says the White House’s shifting statements undermine its credibility, arguing the episode reinforces long-standing concerns about Trump’s racial rhetoric.
Significantly, criticism from within Trump’s own party adds pressure. Senator Tim Scott, the only Black Republican in the Senate, calls the video blatantly racist and urges its removal, while Senator Roger Wicker labels the post unacceptable and says the president owes an apology.
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries denounces Trump as reckless and bigoted, urging Republicans to speak out. The Obamas do not immediately respond to the incident.
The episode fits a broader pattern in Trump’s second term, marked by the use of provocative and sometimes AI-generated visuals online, as well as an aggressive stance against diversity and inclusion programs. Critics warn that such tactics deepen racial divisions rooted in a long American history of discrimination, even as the administration insists the controversy is a distraction from its policy agenda.
