President Donald Trump quietly removed a racist video from his social media account Friday after fierce condemnation from across the political spectrum, following his overnight repost of a clip depicting former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes.
“This is from an internet meme video depicting President Trump as the King of the Jungle and Democrats as characters from The Lion King,” the White House said earlier Friday through Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. “Please stop the fake outrage and report on something today that actually matters to the American public.”
The roughly one-minute video centered on false claims of election fraud from the 2020 presidential race before abruptly cutting to the Obamas’ faces superimposed onto cartoon apes, accompanied by the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” (1961) by The Tokens. The imagery, long associated with racist dehumanization of Black people, circulated for hours before being removed shortly before noon.
The post appeared during Black History Month, intensifying the backlash. Barack Obama remains the nation’s first Black president, and both he and Michelle Obama are among the most admired public figures in modern American history.
“This post goes beyond a dog whistle,” Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) said. “It is blatant racism, relying on imagery that has long been used to demean and dehumanize Black people. The words our leaders choose matter. The images they invoke matter.”
The NAACP said the video was “a stark reminder of how Trump and his followers truly view people” and warned it would not be forgotten.
Even Republicans moved to distance themselves. Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) called the video “the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House” and urged its immediate removal.
Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) said the post was “wrong and incredibly offensive” and said it should be deleted with an apology.
British broadcaster Piers Morgan said he hoped Trump did not realize how the video ended and urged its immediate deletion.
Trump’s post revived memories of his rise in politics through birther conspiracies questioning Obama’s citizenship, a campaign widely condemned as racist.
“You know they’re in hiding right now,” said hip-hop legend Luther Campbell. “People like us who call out racism always get hit with ‘Why does it always have to be about race when it comes to you?’ That question is the tell.”
Attorney and political commentator Bakari Sellers challenged Trump supporters to publicly defend the imagery.
A three-time Trump voter said the video was “an embarrassment to our country,” calling the president “pathetic” and apologizing for having supported him.
MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell said the moment reflected years of political enabling rather than an isolated incident.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries issued a sweeping rebuke, calling on Republican leaders to act.
“President Obama and Michelle Obama are brilliant, compassionate and patriotic Americans. They represent the best of this country,” Jeffries said. “Donald Trump is a vile, unhinged and malignant bottom feeder. Every single Republican must immediately denounce Donald Trump’s disgusting bigotry.”
