Trump Removes Obama Meme Amid Bipartisan Backlash
President Donald Trump removed a video from his social media platform that portrayed Barack and Michelle Obama in a racist manner, depicting them as apes, following a bipartisan backlash that included criticism from Tim Scott, the sole Black Republican senator in the US. On Thursday, Trump shared the clip with his 11.7 million followers on Truth Social. A narrator presented unverified assertions regarding the insecurity of voting machines in battleground states during the 2020 election, which was won by former President Joe Biden. In the final moments of the video, images emerge featuring the faces of the former president and first lady, their mouths agape, overlaid on the bodies of primates. They move rhythmically against a lush jungle backdrop while the melody of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” fills the air. The images bring to mind a long-standing racist stereotype concerning Black individuals. The post was deleted on Friday, following calls from Scott and other Republican lawmakers for Trump to remove it, as well as requests from Democrats and civil-rights organizations. Trump informed late Friday that he “didn’t see the whole thing” prior to its posting on his Truth Social account. The president stated that he had viewed the initial segment of the video concerning voter fraud and forwarded it to his staff. He remarked that “generally they look at the whole thing, but I guess somebody didn’t.”
He stated that he had communicated with Scott afterward, and that the senator “understood that, 100 per cent.” Trump stated that he would not apologize as he believed he had not made a mistake. When asked whether he would denounce the racist elements of the video, Trump replied, “Of course I do.” The decision to remove the post represented a notable withdrawal from the White House, occurring merely hours after Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended it and charged journalists who reported on it with generating “fake outrage.” Leavitt said in a statement earlier Friday “This is from an internet meme video depicting President Trump as the King of the Jungle and Democrats as characters from The Lion King,” urging media outlets to “report on something today that actually matters to the American public.” A White House official later stated in an emailed response that the late-night post was mistakenly published by a staff member. Another adviser, granted anonymity to disclose private discussions, stated that White House staffers are equally upset about the post, noting that longtime Trump aide Dan Scavino, who typically assists with the president’s social media, has been away this week celebrating his honeymoon. The post was visible on the president’s feed for approximately 12 hours before it was removed. Shortly after Leavitt released her statement, Scott took to X, urging Trump to remove the video.
“Praying it was fake because it’s the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House. The President should remove it,” the senator wrote. Scott’s admonition of the president marked a rare rebuke from the South Carolina lawmaker, who has been a steadfast ally of Trump. In 2024, they engaged in a brief contest for the Republican presidential nomination. Scott ultimately suspended his campaign, with speculation arising about his potential as a running mate for Trump. Scott oversees the Senate Republicans’ campaign arm and also chairs the Banking Committee, which is set to evaluate Trump’s nominee for the Federal Reserve, Kevin Warsh. Trump’s post faced criticism from Republican Representative Mike Lawler, who described it as “wrong and incredibly offensive.” Lawler, hailing from New York, is confronted with a challenging reelection battle this November. Republican Senators Roger Wicker, Susan Collins, and Pete Ricketts were among those who expressed their condemnation of the video. The White House’s choice to hold an aide responsible for the post has intensified criticism of Trump, 79, especially since he has consistently pointed to Biden’s reliance on an autopen for signing presidential directives as evidence of Biden’s age being a liability for the nation’s highest office.
“WOW! WHITE HOUSE SAYS TRUMP DOESN’T WRITE HIS OWN TWEETS???” “AUTOPEN!” posted California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Trump antagonist and a figure often speculated as a potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidate. Trump has a lengthy history of making racially charged remarks, many of which have been directed at the Obamas. He initiated his political career by promoting unfounded assertions that the former president was not born in the United States. In the 2024 contest against former Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump raised questions about her racial identity during a conference of Black journalists in Chicago. Harris is the offspring of immigrants from India and Jamaica. The US president has prioritized the dismantling of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs as a central element of his domestic agenda for a second term.
