Trump Faces Rare GOP Backlash Over Racist Social Media Post

Republican lawmakers join Democrats in condemning the president's sharing of a video with an offensive image of the Obamas.

Published on Feb. 8, 2026

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President Donald Trump received rare criticism from Republican lawmakers after he posted a video on social media that included a racist image depicting former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as primates. The video also echoed false conspiracy theories about the 2020 election. Multiple GOP members of Congress joined their Democratic colleagues in voicing disgust and calling for the president to remove the post, though Trump declined to apologize, claiming he did not see the racist portion.

Why it matters

This incident represents a rare moment of bipartisan backlash against President Trump from members of his own party, who have generally been reluctant to publicly criticize him since his return to the White House. The swift condemnation highlights the sensitivity around issues of racism and the 2020 election, which continue to divide the country along partisan lines.

The details

The video posted by President Trump included an image that depicted the Obamas as primates, a racist trope that has long been used to dehumanize Black people. The post also echoed false conspiracy theories about the 2020 election being "stolen" from Trump. Multiple Republican senators and representatives joined their Democratic colleagues in condemning the post, calling it "disgusting" and "unacceptable." However, Trump refused to apologize, claiming he did not see the offensive portion of the video when he shared it.

  • President Trump posted the video on social media on February 8, 2026.

The players

Donald Trump

The 47th President of the United States, serving his second term in office.

Barack Obama

The 44th President of the United States, who served two terms from 2009 to 2017.

Michelle Obama

The wife of former President Barack Obama, who served as the First Lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

The takeaway

This incident highlights the continued partisan divisions in the country, even within the Republican Party, and the sensitivity around issues of racism and the 2020 election. It remains to be seen whether this rare moment of bipartisan criticism will lead to any meaningful change in how President Trump and his allies approach these divisive topics.