In the first week of Black History Month 2026, a deeply troubling episode in American political discourse unfolded on social media. President Donald Trump posted a video to his Truth Social account that included a brief but shocking clip depicting former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes in a jungle setting. Even after widespread condemnation and bipartisan calls for accountability, Trump has refused to apologize for the racist imagery.
The minute-long video, which circulated late Thursday night on Truth Social, was primarily focused on promoting unfounded conspiracy theories about the 2020 presidential election. Toward the end, however, an AI-generated segment appeared showing animated primates with the Obamas’ faces superimposed. The video was taken down later that day amid bipartisan outrage.
When asked about the outcry, Trump insisted he did not make a mistake and would not apologize. He claimed he had only looked at part of the video and contended the remainder was harmless. White House officials initially defended the post as a silly internet meme portraying Democrats as characters from The Lion King, though they later said it was posted in error by a staffer.
Civil rights advocates and lawmakers across the political spectrum called the imagery offensive, racist, and deeply hurtful. Republican Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, the longest-serving Black Republican in the Senate, called it “the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House.” Other Republican leaders described the clip as “unacceptable,” with some explicitly urging an apology. Democratic leaders likewise condemned the post’s use of racist tropes that have been used historically to demean Black people.
The comparison of Black people to apes and monkeys is not trivial or insignificant. It is a centuries-old racist stereotype that was used to justify slavery, segregation, and systematic exclusion from the rights of full citizenship in this country’s past. The trope dehumanizes an entire community and is rooted in pseudoscientific racism that was propagated to rationalize inequality and violence.
That such imagery would surface in the digital age, during Black History Month, speaks volumes about the persistent strains of racial injustice in American life. Black History Month is a time to celebrate the achievements, resilience, and cultural contributions of Black Americans. It is also a moment to reflect on the enduring inequities that continue to shape everyday experiences for so many. From disparate health outcomes to criminal justice disparities to the persistence of coded hostility in public dialogue, the struggle for dignity and equity remains ongoing.
For many Americans, particularly Black citizens, the video was a stark reminder that the fight for respect and equality has not ended. It underscores how racist imagery and rhetoric can be weaponized in mainstream political spaces with little consequence. Black leaders and activists have emphasized that this is not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern of racially insensitive conduct that echoes throughout our national discourse.
In a nation that strives to live up to its founding promise of equality for all, the reluctance to acknowledge harm, to apologize, or to commit to better conduct represents more than a political misstep. It reveals the work that still needs to be done to confront racial biases and to truly honor the history, dignity, and humanity of Black people in every sphere of American life.
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