President Donald Trump‘s legit Fact Social account on Friday morning deleted a video displaying a racist image of feeble President Barack Obama and feeble first lady Michelle Obama portrayed as apes, following neatly-liked bipartisan requires its elimination.
The depiction of the Obamas, posted late Thursday from Trump’s legit Fact Social account, became as soon as incorporated in a video clip pushing a conspiracy idea about balloting machines all around the 2020 election. The put up stayed up for about 12 hours.
Trump late Friday all over a gaggle with newshounds accompanying him aboard Air Pressure One acknowledged that he would per chance presumably also no longer categorical regret for the put up. “I didn’t make a mistake,” he acknowledged.
Trump suggested newshounds that he didn’t glimpse the total video, accurate the foundation.
“I didn’t see the whole thing,” Trump acknowledged. “I looked at the first part, and it was really about voter fraud in the machines, how crooked it is, how disgusting it is. Then I gave it to the people. Generally, they look at the whole thing. But I guess somebody didn’t.”
When requested if he condemned the video, he replied, “Of course I do.”
The White Dwelling first and most predominant defended Trump’s put up.
A screenshot from a video President Donald Trump posted to his social media platform, Fact Social, on Feb. 5, 2026. The video reveals the faces of President Barack Obama and feeble first lady Michelle Obama superimposed over though-provoking apes.
Source: Fact Social
“This is from an internet meme video depicting President Trump as the King of the Jungle and Democrats as characters from the Lion King,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt acknowledged in an emailed observation when requested for comment on Friday morning.
“Please stop the fake outrage and report on something today that actually matters to the American public,” Leavitt acknowledged.
Hours later, the put up became as soon as deleted from Trump’s Fact Social account.
A White Dwelling legit, speaking on condition of anonymity, acknowledged that a White Dwelling staffer erroneously posted the video and that it since had been taken down.
The White Dwelling did no longer without delay reply to CNBC’s notice-up questions, at the side of who the staffer became as soon as and how generally they’re posting from the president’s legit accounts.
A provide familiar with the matter, on the opposite hand, later suggested CNBC that Trump “had not seen that video before it was posted.”
“As soon as he found out, he ordered it taken down,” the provision added.
Leavitt’s initial reply incorporated a hyperlink to a longer video posted Oct. 24 from a skilled-Trump meme account on X.
Moreover displaying the Obamas as apes, the stout video reveals other animals bearing the faces of notorious Democrats, at the side of feeble Secretary of Explain Hillary Clinton, Dwelling Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries of Sleek York and Acquire. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
(Left to lawful) U.S. President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, feeble U.S. President Barack Obama and wife Michelle Obama relief the funeral provider for feeble U.S. President George H. W. Bush at the Nationwide Cathedral in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 5, 2018.
Mandel Ngan | Afp | Getty Pictures
Trump is depicted in that video as a lion. The tune “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” by The Tokens plays within the background.
Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., a shut ally of Trump’s who’s on the total one of his loyal defenders, blasted the image posted on Trump’s account.
“Praying it was fake because it’s the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House,” the senator wrote in a put up on X.
“The President should remove it,” he added sooner than the put up became as soon as deleted.
Acquire. Mike Lawler, a Sleek York Republican who’s in point of fact appropriate at menace of shedding his seat within the Dwelling of Representatives in November’s election, additionally criticized Trump’s put up.
“The President’s post is wrong and incredibly offensive — whether intentional or a mistake — and should be deleted immediately with an apology offered,” Lawler acknowledged on X.
The Obama Foundation did no longer reply to CNBC’s inquire for comment.
The video that Trump reposted carried the watermark of an entity calling itself Patriot News Outlet.
CNBC reached out to Patriot News Outlet by its email contend with, inquiring for comment on the original video, asking who created it and for what motive, and response to the video being removed from Trump’s Fact Social feed.
In response, the group acknowledged, “We fully unaware of anything that President Trump might have posted including any video claiming to be from Patriot News Outlet. I cannot comment or any your questions for this reason [sic].”
“Do you have a link to the video or copy of the video you can share?” the group acknowledged.
Trump’s opponents would per chance presumably also search to compose the put up a be concerned for the midterm election in November, though or no longer it is mute nine months away.
Be taught more CNBC politics protection
Trump’s fellow Republicans in Congress maintain expressed worries that they would per chance presumably also no longer be ready to withhold their slim majorities in both the Dwelling and Senate in November’s election.
The NAACP, in a put up on X, acknowledged: “Trump posting this video — especially during Black History Month— is a stark reminder of how Trump and his followers truly view people. And we’ll remember that in November.”
Democratic elected officers rapid known as on other Republicans to condemn the put up.
“President Obama and Michelle Obama are brilliant, compassionate and patriotic Americans,” Jeffries wrote on X. “They represent the best of this country. Donald Trump is a vile, unhinged and malignant bottom feeder.”
“Why are GOP leaders like John Thune continuing to stand by this sick individual? Every single Republican must immediately denounce Donald Trump’s disgusting bigotry,” Jeffries wrote, referring to the Senate majority leader.
The clicking space of job of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, one other Democrat mocked within the video, acknowledged on X: “Disgusting behavior by the President. Every single Republican must denounce this. Now.”
Acquire. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-In unhappy health., in his have put up on X, acknowledged, “This kind of Jim Crow-style dehumanization is pathetic and a disgrace to the office.”
— CNBC’s Eamon Javers contributed to this explain.