Trump Shares Video Depicting Obamas as Apes

Former president's Truth Social post removed after backlash over offensive meme

Feb. 6, 2026 at 9:31pm

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Former President Donald Trump posted a video on his Truth Social platform that included a clip depicting former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as cartoonish apes. The video, which also promoted debunked claims about voting machines in the 2020 election, was later removed from Trump's account.

Why it matters

Trump's decision to share the offensive meme has drawn widespread criticism, with many condemning the racist imagery. The incident highlights the former president's continued promotion of conspiracy theories and his willingness to engage in divisive, inflammatory rhetoric.

The details

The 1-minute, 2-second video posted by Trump on February 5, 2026 featured a segment from a longer video called "Your Wake Up Call" that made unsubstantiated claims about voting machines in the 2020 election. The video then ended with a 2-second clip of a meme depicting the Obamas as apes, set to the intro of the song "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." Trump's post was later removed from Truth Social.

  • Trump posted the video on his Truth Social account on February 5, 2026, shortly before midnight.
  • The post was removed around noon Eastern Time on February 6, 2026.

The players

Donald Trump

Former President of the United States who posted the offensive video on his Truth Social platform.

Barack Obama

Former President of the United States, whose face was superimposed on an ape in the meme video shared by Trump.

Michelle Obama

Former First Lady of the United States, whose face was also superimposed on an ape in the meme video shared by Trump.

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What they’re saying

“This is from an internet meme video depicting President Trump as the King of the Jungle and Democrats as characters from the Lion King. Please stop the fake outrage and report on something today that actually matters to the American public.”

— Karoline Leavitt, White House Press Secretary

The takeaway

Trump's decision to share the offensive meme depicting the Obamas as apes is the latest example of the former president's willingness to promote divisive and inflammatory rhetoric, even at the expense of basic decency and respect. This incident underscores the need for political leaders to uphold democratic norms and refrain from engaging in racist or otherwise hateful content.