Republicans Condemn Trump Over Video Depicting Obamas As Apes
Trump's Truth Social post briefly showed Barack and Michelle Obama as apes and was deleted about 12 hours after posting, White House officials said.
Overview
President Donald Trump posted a Truth Social video at 11:44 p.m. Thursday that briefly depicted former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes, and the post was deleted about 12 hours later, White House officials said.
The clip promoted debunked claims about 2020 voting machines before flashing AI-like imagery of the Obamas, which civil rights groups including the NAACP said evokes a centuries-old racist trope used to dehumanize Black people.
Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina called the post "the most racist thing I've seen out of this White House," while White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt initially defended the material as "an internet meme video" and officials later said a staffer "erroneously made the post," according to statements and reporting.
The memecoin $APEBAMA was minted after the post and recorded more than $4 million in trades within 12 hours, and the X user @xerias_x who originally posted the clip reposted it and surpassed 1 million views, records show.
White House aides privately expressed anger over the incident, the identity of the individual who posted the clip remains unclear, and congressional leaders said they will press Republicans for answers, according to Semafor and public statements.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story as a clear instance of racist imagery and part of a pattern of problematic behavior, prioritizing bipartisan condemnation and contextual history. Headlines and leads label the clip "racist," emphasize "long‑standing racist tropes" and Black History Month timing, and foreground Republican critics while contrasting the White House's "fake outrage" defense.
Sources (37)
FAQ
The video was a screen-recorded clip promoting debunked 2020 election voting machine claims, ending with a brief AI-generated animation superimposing the faces of Barack Obama and Michelle Obama onto the bodies of cartoon apes, accompanied by 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight'.
The video was deleted about 12 hours after posting on Friday, with White House officials claiming a staffer erroneously posted it. Trump stated he only saw the first part about voter fraud, didn't see the racist imagery, spoke to Sen. Tim Scott about it being a mistake, and refused to apologize, saying 'I didn’t make a mistake.'
Republican Sen. Tim Scott called it 'the most racist thing I've seen out of this White House' and urged its removal. NAACP president Derrick Johnson labeled it 'overtly racist, repugnant, and completely abhorrent.' Other Republicans like Reps. Mike Lawler and Gov. Pete Ricketts also condemned it and called for an apology.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt initially defended it as 'an internet meme video' portraying Trump as 'King of the Jungle' from The Lion King, dismissing criticism as 'fake outrage.'
A memecoin $APEBAMA was minted post-incident, recording over $4 million in trades within 12 hours. The original X poster @xerias_x reposted it, surpassing 1 million views. Congressional leaders plan to press Republicans for answers.
History
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