Trump Posts Racist Video Depicting Obamas as Apes Amid Voting Rights Threats

Experts warn video is part of broader pattern to discredit voters and justify restrictive voting laws

Published on Feb. 6, 2026

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President Trump posted a video to his social media site that contained animated images depicting former President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama as apes. The White House initially called it a 'mistake' but later took down the post. Experts say this incident is part of a coordinated assault on voting rights and democratic principles, with vulnerable groups being systematically portrayed as dangerous and unfit for full citizenship to justify the concentration of power.

Why it matters

The racist imagery was embedded within a video promoting debunked conspiracy theories about the 2020 election, part of a broader pattern of white nationalist rhetoric from the Trump administration aimed at discrediting groups perceived as undermining elections and democracy. This rhetoric directly translates into concrete efforts to restrict voting access, particularly for Black and brown communities.

The details

The video was posted on Thursday and taken down on Friday, with the White House first calling it a 'meme' and then a 'mistake by a staffer.' Experts connect this incident to a broader trend of vulnerable groups being portrayed as a threat to democracy to justify voter suppression tactics like restrictive ID requirements and potential federal oversight at urban polling places.

  • The video was posted on Thursday, February 6, 2026.
  • The video was taken down on Friday, February 7, 2026.

The players

President Trump

The former president who posted the racist video depicting the Obamas as apes.

Melina Abdullah

Professor at Cal State L.A. and co-founder of Black Lives Matter Los Angeles, who explained that the video was about more than just the Obamas and was part of an effort to discredit groups perceived as undermining elections and democracy.

Brian Levin

Professor emeritus at Cal State San Bernardino and founder of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, who connected the video to a broader pattern of white nationalist rhetoric emanating from the federal government and efforts to portray vulnerable groups as a threat to democracy.

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What they’re saying

“This is about more than just the Obamas. It's about discrediting groups perceived as undermining elections and democracy.”

— Melina Abdullah, Professor at Cal State L.A. and co-founder of Black Lives Matter Los Angeles

“It has been not even a dog-whistling, but a Xeroxing of the exact kind of terms that I've been looking at on white supremacists' and neo-Nazi websites for decades.”

— Brian Levin, Professor emeritus at Cal State San Bernardino and founder of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism

What’s next

Experts warn that even without official sanction, empowered conspiracy theorists may take matters into their own hands, harassing and intimidating voters. The midterm elections are critical for the far-right Republicans currently in power, and restricting voting access is seen as a key strategy for maintaining control.

The takeaway

This incident is part of a broader, systemic effort to discredit and disenfranchise Black and brown voters, echoing a pre-1965, pre-Voting Rights Act era of rampant, legally sanctioned white supremacy. Vigilance and resistance are crucial to protect the integrity of elections and the foundations of democracy.