President Donald Trump shared on his social media platform in a single day a video that features a racist animation of former President Barack Obama and former first woman Michelle Obama depicted with the our bodies of apes, sparking condemnation from some lawmakers and calls for that the submit be taken down.
Trump reposted the roughly minutelong video, which centered on debunked claims concerning the 2020 election, to his social media platform.
On the finish of the video, the Obamas’ faces seem abruptly and with out rationalization for seconds with the music “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” taking part in over it. The video then ends again on related imagery of the conspiracy video footage.
President Donald Trump speaks throughout a invoice signing ceremony within the Oval Workplace of the White Home in Washington, February 3, 2026.
Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters
The Obamas had no remark when ABC Information reached out to their representatives for a response.
White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt, when requested for remark, stated, “That is from an web meme video depicting President Trump because the King of the Jungle and Democrats as characters from the Lion King. Please cease the pretend outrage and report on one thing at present that really issues to the American public.”
The video reposted by Trump in a single day consists of solely imagery of the Obamas.
The meme video referenced by Leavitt was shared in October by the Hardin County Republican Get together of Kentucky on Fb, which led the chairman to problem an apology and deleted the submit after swift backlash noting the lengthy historical past of racist tropes depicting Black individuals as apes or monkeys — a instrument of slave merchants and segregationists to dehumanize them.
Trump’s in a single day repost was condemned by some lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
Former President Barack Obama and former first woman Michelle Obama pay attention throughout a State Funeral on the Nationwide Cathedral, Dec. 5, 2018, in Washington, for former President George H.W. Bush.
Alex Brandon/AP
Home Democratic Chief Hakeem Jeffries, the primary Black chief of a celebration in Congress, wrote on X: “President Obama and Michelle Obama are sensible, compassionate and patriotic Individuals. They symbolize the perfect of this nation. Donald Trump is a vile, unhinged and malignant backside feeder.”
“Each single Republican should instantly denounce Donald Trump’s disgusting bigotry,” Jeffries wrote.
Republican Sen. Tim Scott, the one Black Republican within the Senate and likewise the top of the Nationwide Republican Senatorial Committee, posted on X: “Praying it was pretend as a result of it is probably the most racist factor I’ve seen out of this White Home. The President ought to take away it.”
Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, wrote in a submit: “Racist. Vile. Abhorrent. That is harmful and degrades our nation — the place are Senate Republicans? The President should instantly delete the submit and apologize to Barack and Michelle Obama, two nice Individuals who make Donald Trump seem like a small, envious man.”
