Trump Faces Bipartisan Backlash Over Truth Social Post Depicting Obamas as Apes
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump ignited a firestorm of controversy on Friday after sharing a video on his Truth Social account that depicts former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as monkeys. The video, which primarily promotes debunked conspiracy theories regarding the 2020 election, features a segment near the end where the faces of the nation’s first Black president and first lady are superimposed onto the bodies of primates while the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” plays in the background.
The post, shared late Thursday evening, drew immediate and sharp condemnation from lawmakers across the political spectrum. Republican Senator Tim Scott issued a stern rebuke, describing the video as “the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House” and calling on the President to remove it immediately. Democratic leaders were equally vocal, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries terming the content “vile” and noting that the imagery relies on centuries-old racist tropes used to dehumanize African Americans.
Despite the widespread criticism, the White House defended the post and declined to apologize. In a statement to CNN, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the reaction as “fake outrage,” characterizing the video as a satirical “internet meme.” Leavitt stated that the clip was intended to depict President Trump as the “King of the Jungle” and Democrats as characters from the animated film “The Lion King.” She further criticized the media coverage, urging reporters to “stop the fake outrage and report on something today that actually matters to the American public.”
The video, which runs for approximately one minute, largely focuses on false allegations involving Dominion Voting Systems and claims that the 2020 election was rigged. These claims have been repeatedly disproven by election officials and the courts. However, the inclusion of the racially charged imagery has overshadowed the video’s political messaging, dominating the news cycle and prompting fresh questions about the administration’s use of social media. As of Friday afternoon, the post remained active on the President’s Truth Social feed, where it had been liked and reposted thousands of times by his followers.
