Trump sparks national outrage after sharing AI video of the Obamas
February 6 2026
President Donald J. Trump ignited widespread condemnation and renewed debate over race and political rhetoric this week after sharing a social media post that included an AI generated video depicting former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as primates. The brief but inflammatory imagery appeared in a longer clip linked to unfounded claims about the 2020 election and quickly drew bipartisan criticism.
The post, shared on Trump’s Truth Social account late Thursday, showed the faces of Barack and Michelle Obama superimposed onto monkey bodies for a brief moment during a video about alleged voting machine manipulation claims that have been consistently rejected by courts and election officials nationwide.
Backlash from Across the Political Spectrum
The depiction, which taps into racist tropes historically used to dehumanize Black Americans, struck a nerve during the first week of Black History Month. Civil rights advocates and political leaders from both major parties denounced the post as overtly racist and unacceptable.
Republican Senator Tim Scott, a close Trump ally, labeled the image “the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House,” urging its immediate removal. Democratic leaders also condemned the post, emphasizing its offensive nature and the broader implications for political discourse.
White House Response and Removal
Initially, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the criticism as “fake outrage,” describing the content as part of an internet meme portraying Trump as the “King of the Jungle” alongside caricatures of Democratic figures. However, the post was later taken down, with administration officials attributing it to an error by a staffer.
Despite the deletion, the incident has intensified scrutiny of the president’s use of social media and AI generated content, particularly when it intersects with race and historical sensitivities.
Political analysts note that the controversy highlights enduring tensions in American politics over misinformation, social media conduct, and the deployment of racially charged imagery. Critics argue that such depictions undermine civility and risk normalizing dehumanizing tropes, while supporters of the president have characterized the backlash as politically motivated.
