Trump Condemns Controversial Obama Video, Refuses to Apologise Amid Bipartisan Backlash

• US President Trump condemned the controversial video portraying the Obamas as apes, but refuses to apologise for the incident
• The bipartisan backlash highlighted the historical dehumanisation of black individuals in similar imagery and media
• The White House defended, then retracted the video, raising concerns over Trump's social media management

Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.

UNITED STATES, WASHINGTON D.C - President Donald Trump condemned, but did not apologise for a video posted to his Truth Social account showing former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama as apes.

Trump condemned the clip

The post drew swift bipartisan criticism for dehumanising people of African descent. The White House initially defended the video on Friday, 6 February 2026, before deleting it 12 hours later. The minute-long video, shared late on Thursday, 5 February 2026, amplified false claims that Trump’s 2020 election defeat was due to fraud.

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Near the end of the video, a brief AI-generated clip of dancing primates appeared with the Obamas' faces superimposed. Trump told reporters that he had not watched the full video before a White House aide posted it. He said he had only seen the first part, which focused on voter fraud in machines, and added that he then passed it to staff.

According to TimesLive, Trump said he condemned the clip, but declined to apologise, stating that he had not made a mistake and that he reviewed thousands of materials regularly. White House staff had issued competing explanations for the post, initially calling it a harmless "internet meme" and later saying it was posted in error. Trump's handling marked a rare retreat for an administration typically defensive of the president's statements.

Dehumanise black populations

Civil rights advocates noted that depictions of people of African ancestry as apes have historically been used to dehumanise black populations. Former Obama aide Ben Rhodes said the video would haunt Trump and his followers while future Americans continue to revere the Obamas. The Obamas' spokesperson declined to comment.

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Only a few senior aides have direct access to Trump's social media accounts, according to sources familiar with White House procedures. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt initially defended the post, describing negative reactions as "fake outrage" and claiming it originated from a meme depicting Trump as the King of the Jungle and Democrats as Lion King characters.

US President Donald Trump threatens to sue comedian Trevor Noah

Briefly News previously reported that the President of the United States, Donald Trump, criticised comedian Trevor Noah, the host of the 68th Grammy Awards ceremony, for a remark he made.

Noah roasted Trump and alleged that Trump was present at Jeffrey Epstein's Epstein Island, which has been linked to sex trafficking. Trump threatened to sue Noah and trashed the Grammy Awards, calling them the worst and unwatchable.

Source: Briefly News