Trump Shares Racist Video Depicting Obamas as Apes

The White House initially blamed a staffer for posting the video, but Trump later admitted he knew about it beforehand.

Published on Feb. 8, 2026

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A video was posted on President Donald Trump's Truth Social account depicting former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes in a jungle. The racist depiction of Black people as primates dates back centuries and is meant to represent them as ugly, savage, and unintelligent. Trump initially claimed he was unaware of the video, but later admitted he had seen it and thought it was "fine." The White House dismissed the outrage over the post, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt demanding journalists "stop the fake outrage."

Why it matters

This incident is consistent with Trump's long history of racist rhetoric and behavior, including referring to Rep. Ilhan Omar as "a disgusting person, a loser," and describing Somalis, Haitians, and other immigrants from non-white countries in dehumanizing terms. For Trump and his MAGA supporters, Black people and immigrants are a threat to the "special culture" of America, which they view as inherently white and Christian.

The details

In the video posted on Trump's Truth Social account, the Obamas were depicted as apes in a jungle setting. The post was deleted 12 hours later, with the White House initially blaming an unnamed staffer. However, Trump later admitted he knew about the video before it was posted and said it was "fine." Trump refused to apologize, insisting he "didn't make a mistake."

  • On February 5, 2026, the video was posted on Trump's Truth Social account.
  • The video was deleted 12 hours later.

The players

Donald Trump

The former president of the United States who posted the racist video on his Truth Social account.

Barack Obama

The former president of the United States who was depicted as an ape in the video.

Michelle Obama

The former first lady of the United States who was also depicted as an ape in the video.

Karoline Leavitt

The White House press secretary who dismissed the outrage over the video and demanded journalists "stop the fake outrage."

Hakeem Jeffries

The House Minority Leader who condemned the video, saying "Fuck Donald Trump and his vile, racist, and malignant behavior."

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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)

“This post was offensive. I'm glad the White House took it down.”

— Dan Sullivan, Senator (Twitter-X)

“Fuck Donald Trump and his vile, racist, and malignant behavior.”

— Hakeem Jeffries, House Minority Leader (N/A)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.