Trump Removes Racist Video From Truth Social After Bipartisan Backlash

President Donald Trump shared — and later deleted — a racist video on his Truth Social account Thursday night after intense backlash from Republicans and Democrats alike.

The video depicted former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes in a jungle setting, reviving long-standing racist tropes. The post remained live for nearly 12 hours before being removed.

Just before noon Friday, the White House said a staffer was responsible for uploading the video and claimed Trump was unaware it had been posted. Officials said the staffer acted in error and that the content was taken down once leadership became aware.

Reaction was swift.

Tim Scott, the only Black Republican in the Senate, publicly condemned the post, calling it racist and urging Trump to remove it. According to sources familiar with the matter, Scott spoke directly with Trump Friday morning before the video was deleted.

Several Republican lawmakers also broke ranks to criticize the post.

Mike Lawler called it “wrong and incredibly offensive,” while Nick LaLota urged its immediate removal. Senators Roger Wicker and Pete Ricketts also publicly called on Trump to apologize.

Despite mounting pressure, neither Trump nor the White House issued a formal apology.

The clip appeared to originate from a longer meme video circulating online that promoted false claims about the 2020 election. The Obamas appeared briefly at the end of the video, with their faces superimposed onto animals.

The controversy sparked internal scrambling inside the White House, with advisers and allies reaching out to lawmakers and media outlets to insist Trump was not personally responsible. Sources familiar with Trump’s posting habits say he often uses Truth Social directly, though a small group of aides also have access to his account.

Hakeem Jeffries sharply criticized Trump in a social media video, while the office of Gavin Newsom also condemned the post, calling on Republicans to denounce it.

The incident adds to a long list of controversies surrounding Trump’s online activity, including past reposts of racially charged or conspiratorial content. While Trump has frequently shared inflammatory material, it is relatively rare for him to delete posts after public backlash.

CNN has reached out to the Obamas for comment.

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