The White House announced Friday that it had removed a controversial video containing racist and offensive remarks about former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle, after it was “accidentally” posted to President Donald Trump’s social media account. A White House official explained that a staff member had posted the video and confirmed that it was immediately deleted after the error was discovered.
Details of the incident and initial reactions
The one-minute video not only promoted conspiracy theories about the rigging of the 2020 election, which Trump lost to Joe Biden, but also included a short clip at the end showing the faces of Barack and Michelle Obama superimposed on the bodies of two monkeys. This content drew immediate and widespread condemnation from prominent Democrats and political observers, who described the clip as “blatantly racist” and “unbecoming of the presidency.”.
Although the video garnered over a thousand likes before being deleted, the uproar it caused was far greater. Trump campaign spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt attempted to downplay the incident, describing the outrage sparked by the post as "manufactured outrage.".
Historical background of tension and attacks
This incident cannot be separated from the broader context of tension and personal attacks that Donald Trump has waged against Barack Obama over the years. Before entering politics, Trump was a leading proponent of the “birtherism” conspiracy theory, which questioned Obama’s birthplace and his eligibility for the presidency. This rhetoric persisted for years and formed a key part of Trump’s political rise.
Using monkey images to refer to African Americans is a long-standing and painful racist tactic in American history, aimed at dehumanizing them. Therefore, the appearance of such images in a post associated with the US president is not merely a passing "mistake," but rather a reopening of a deep historical wound in the social fabric of the nation.
Importance and expected political impacts
Domestically, this incident deepens the already sharp political polarization in the United States. It fuels racial divisions and provides fresh ammunition for political opponents to highlight what they describe as the Trump administration's extremist rhetoric. California Governor Gavin Newsom, a prominent Trump critic and potential 2028 presidential candidate, strongly condemned the post, calling it further evidence that hate speech has become part of the political mainstream.
Internationally, such incidents contribute to damaging the image of American democracy. Rival nations exploit them as evidence of internal chaos and division, weakening Washington's standing as leader of the free world. Instability in the political discourse of the highest office in the land worries allies and provides adversaries with an opportunity to criticize its democratic values.
