Briefly shared clip depicting Obamas sparks bipartisan outrage, scrutiny of Trump’s social media use
February 7, 2026: US President Donald Trump has declined to apologise after briefly sharing a video on social media that was widely condemned as racist. The clip, posted on his Truth Social account late Thursday, depicted former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes and remained online for nearly 12 hours before being removed. The post triggered swift bipartisan backlash and renewed criticism over Trump’s online conduct.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said the video was uploaded due to an internal mistake and claimed he had only watched the opening portion before it was shared. He acknowledged for the first time that he had previewed part of the clip, which focused on false claims of voter fraud linked to Dominion Voting Systems. Trump said the offensive imagery appeared only at the end and was missed during review, adding that the video was taken down as soon as the issue was discovered.
When asked if he would apologise, Trump responded bluntly, saying he had not made a mistake, while stating he condemned the racist imagery itself. The AI-generated video drew condemnation from leaders across parties, including Republican Senator Tim Scott, who called it racist and urged its removal. The episode has intensified debate over accountability and oversight of content posted on the president’s social media platforms.