The latest controversy swirling around Donald Trump involves a video he shared on his Truth Social platform depicting former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama with ape-like features. The incident, which ignited a firestorm of criticism from both sides of the political aisle, has been characterized by swift deletion of the offending content and a perplexing defense from the White House. This is not the first time Trump has waded into racially charged territory, prompting a critical examination of the motivations behind such posts, their impact, and the recurring cycle of controversy, retraction, and justification.
The Obamas as Primates: A Visual Attack
On a late Thursday night, a video appeared on Donald Trump’s Truth Social account that has since been widely condemned as racist. The clip, which was eventually deleted from his platform, showed images of Barack Obama and Michelle Obama superimposed with primate bodies. This visual representation immediately drew accusations of employing a deeply offensive and historically loaded racist trope.
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The video was shared just before midnight on February 5th, 2026.
It was deleted from Trump's account later on Friday, February 6th, 2026, after significant backlash.
The Obamas themselves have reportedly not commented on the video.
The sharing of this particular imagery is especially jarring given the historical context of using ape and monkey comparisons to dehumanize Black individuals. Critics argue that this is not a random oversight but a deliberate deployment of a vile racist trope.
“The most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House.” - Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), the Senate's only Black Republican, on Trump's video.
A History of Racially Tinged Attacks
This latest incident is far from an isolated event in Donald Trump’s public life. Throughout his political career, he has repeatedly been accused of employing racially insensitive language and imagery.
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Birtherism: Before and during his presidency, Trump was a prominent proponent of the conspiracy theory that Barack Obama was not born in the United States and was therefore ineligible to be president. This persistent attack on Obama's legitimacy, widely seen as racially motivated, mirrors the themes of otherness and questioning of Black leadership.
"Shithole Countries" Remark: In 2018, Trump reportedly referred to certain African nations and Latin American countries as "shithole countries" during a White House meeting. This comment, leaked to the press, was met with widespread condemnation as overtly racist.
Attacks on Minority Congresswomen: Trump has frequently attacked minority congresswomen, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, and Rashida Tlaib, often using racially charged language and suggesting they should "go back" to where they came from, despite most being born and raised in the United States.
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These past incidents paint a concerning pattern. The question is: are these calculated provocations, or genuine lapses in judgment from an individual who seems perpetually unaware of the historical weight of his words and actions?
“We are not apes.” - A statement from the U.S. Senate’s lone Black Republican, Tim Scott, responding to Trump’s video.
The Cycle of "Deletion and Deflection"
Following the backlash, the video was taken down. However, the response from Trump and his team has been a study in deflection and denial, a tactic observers have noted before.
Initial Defense: Reports indicate that the White House initially defended Trump’s sharing of the video, a stance quickly abandoned as criticism mounted.
"Didn't See the Whole Thing": Trump himself has claimed he did not see the full extent of the video before it was posted, suggesting a lack of direct intent to share the offensive imagery. This explanation has been met with skepticism by many.
Staffer Error Claim: Some reports suggest a White House staffer may have posted the video in error. This "blame the staffer" defense is a familiar playbook for deflecting responsibility.
No Apology: Despite the widespread condemnation and the clear racist nature of the depiction, Trump has indicated he will not apologize.
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This pattern—share controversial content, face backlash, delete the content, and then offer an explanation that avoids direct accountability or apology—raises critical questions about the underlying intent.
| Action | Description | Typical Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Sharing | Trump posts a video on Truth Social with racist imagery. | Immediate backlash and condemnation. |
| Deletion | The video is removed from Trump’s account. | An attempt to quell the fire. |
| Deflection | Explanations range from ignorance to staff error. | Avoidance of direct responsibility. |
| No Apology | Trump refuses to apologize for the content or its sharing. | Reinforces the pattern of defiance. |
Is this a deliberate strategy to provoke, gauge reactions, and then retreat, all while avoiding genuine contrition? Or is it a symptom of a profound disconnect with the impact of such imagery?
The Power of Visual Tropes: Beyond Accidental Sharing
To dismiss the primate imagery as an innocent mistake or an unintentional sharing overlooks the deeply ingrained history of such comparisons in racist propaganda. Using apes and monkeys to depict Black people has been a hallmark of white supremacy for centuries, used to justify slavery, segregation, and violence by portraying Black individuals as less than human.
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"President Donald Trump’s racist social media post featuring former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, as primates in a jungle was deleted Friday after a backlash from both Republicans and Democrats who criticized the video as offensive." - Associated Press
The fact that Trump, a figure with a long history of racially charged rhetoric, shared such content, regardless of whether he claims to have seen the "full video," is deeply significant. It speaks to an environment where such imagery is either readily available and deemed acceptable for sharing, or at the very least, not considered immediately disqualifying.
Historical Context: The use of ape imagery to demean Black people is a well-documented and painful part of American history.
Intent vs. Impact: Even if Trump claims no intent to be racist, the impact of such imagery is undeniable and profoundly harmful.
Normalization: Repeated instances of sharing racially dubious content, followed by perfunctory deletions, risk normalizing such rhetoric within his base.
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Why would someone, or someone on their behalf, choose to share a video that so readily invokes such a historically loaded and offensive racist trope? What does this say about the editorial judgment or the underlying sentiment within the circles from which these posts originate?
What This Means for the Future
The repeated incidents of Donald Trump sharing controversial, often racially charged content, followed by a cycle of backlash, deletion, and deflection, raise serious concerns about the standards of discourse in American politics.
Erosion of Norms: Such actions contribute to an erosion of political norms and a desensitization to harmful rhetoric.
Impact on Discourse: The constant need to address these controversies distracts from substantive policy discussions and further polarizes the electorate.
Accountability: The recurring theme of avoiding apology and responsibility makes holding powerful figures accountable for their words and actions increasingly challenging.
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As the political landscape continues to be shaped by such events, the question remains: Will there be a point where the consequences of these actions become too significant to simply delete and deflect, or will this pattern continue to define the public life of Donald Trump and influence political discourse for years to come? The silence of the Obamas on this matter, while understandable, only amplifies the public's demand for accountability and clarity from the individual who amplified this offensive imagery.
Sources:
AP News: https://apnews.com/article/trump-obama-racist-video-a48a6b8884a88f9ec30cd4913e352b51
USA Today: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/02/06/trump-barack-michelle-obama-ape-video/88544109007/
ABC News: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-shares-video-includes-racist-depiction-obamas-sparking/story?id=129918626
TIME: https://time.com/7372734/trump-obama-monkey-video-republican-criticism-racist-trope/
The Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/02/06/donald-trump-barack-michelle-obama-apes-video/
Indian Express: https://indianexpress.com/article/world/us-news/donald-trump-truth-social-obama-primate-video-backlash-election-claims-10518067/
CNN Politics: https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/06/politics/donald-trump-obamas-apes-truth-social
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