In the dead of night, a shocking video landed on Truth Social, igniting outrage from even Trump’s closest allies. A meme depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes was initially defended by the White House, only to be swiftly retracted amid a storm of criticism. It’s a situation that feels all too familiar, yet the implications are far from trivial.
On Thursday night, the post was part of a barrage of content that flooded Truth Social. Among discussions of voting machines, this seemingly random and jarring image appeared, unsettling many who thought they had seen it all from the former president.
Initially downplaying the incident, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt feigned nonchalance. “This is from an internet meme video portraying President Trump as the King of the Jungle and Democrats as characters from The Lion King,” she stated. Her dismissal echoed the sentiment of “stop the fake outrage,” as if trivializing this blatant disregard for appropriate discourse.
However, even Trump’s supporters couldn’t ignore the ugliness of the meme. Republican Senator Tim Scott from South Carolina took to X to express his disbelief, terming it “the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House.” His call for removal underscored an uncomfortable truth: among a history of similar posts, this one crossed a line.
Tim is right. This was appalling. https://t.co/9LbpP9JxbN
— Sen. Susan Collins (@SenatorCollins) February 6, 2026
Others joined the condemnation, including Rep. Mike Lawler, who insisted, “The President’s post is wrong and incredibly offensive.” Even a reasonable facade could crumble under such public pressure, as Senator Pete Ricketts from Nebraska remarked, “Even if this was a Lion King meme, a reasonable person sees the racist context.”
By noon ET, the damaging post was erased from Trump’s account. A spokesperson claimed, “A White House staffer erroneously made the post,” yet this defense belied earlier attempts to downplay the incident.
Right-wing users tried to dismiss the outrage as a “hoax,” claiming it was a result of a mere screen recording error. Such narratives present a troubling duality: either the meme was crafted as a reassuring nod to Trump’s base or it reveals an alarming lack of oversight on his part regarding the content circulating from his platform. It feels almost poetic that even in this misstep, the administration seemed poised to embrace the harmful message behind it.
Trump’s presidency has been marred by overt racism, creating an unsettling legacy akin to a shadow looming over discourse. His past remarks, particularly towards Somali-Americans, evoke memories of dire times; yet Republican silence on fundamental issues of race only highlights their selective outrage, making the backlash against this specific meme all the more striking.
Even as some Republicans like Lawler and Scott found this latest missive unacceptable, it raises the question: what does it take for a party to finally recognize the pervasive toxicity of its leader? The scene has played out before—words in the dark transformed into actions under harsh glare. The cycle begs reflection: when will dialogue be prioritized over sensationalism?