President Donald Trump is facing sharp criticism after sharing a video on Truth Social that shows former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama portrayed as monkeys. The clip appeared late Thursday night and quickly stirred backlash across Washington.
The video, which mixes election conspiracy claims with cartoon-style jungle scenes, briefly flashes the Obamas’ faces on monkey bodies set to the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” The imagery draws on a deeply racist trope that has been used for centuries to demean Black people.
Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, the only Black Republican in the Senate and usually a strong Trump ally, condemned the post in unusually direct terms. He wrote on X that he hoped the clip was fake “because it’s the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House.” He urged Trump to delete the post immediately.
Other Republicans also spoke out. New York Rep. Mike Lawler said the video was “wrong and incredibly offensive” and called on Trump to apologize. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer echoed the criticism, calling the clip “racist, vile, and dangerous.”
The White House, however, dismissed the outrage. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the clip came from a longer meme that cast Trump as the “King of the Jungle” and various Democrats as animals inspired by The Lion King. She claimed critics were manufacturing “fake outrage.”
But the version Trump shared included only the edited portion showing the Obamas as monkeys — not the full meme with other Democratic figures.
The Obama Foundation has not commented on the post.
This incident adds to a growing list of controversial and racially charged posts shared by Trump. Last year he posted an AI-generated fake video showing Barack Obama being arrested. He also circulated altered images of House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries wearing a sombrero, which Jeffries publicly called racist.
Scott and Trump have generally maintained a close political relationship. Scott even appeared on the shortlist for Trump’s vice-presidential pick in 2025. But this latest post has created a clear split, with Scott saying racism “has no place in the White House.”
The controversy comes at a time when Trump’s social media activity is drawing increasing attention, especially as he continues to use memes and edited videos to attack political opponents.
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