Based on current reports from February 6, 2026, your information is correct. Major news outlets, including the Associated Press and AFP, have confirmed that President Donald Trump shared a video on Truth Social on the evening of February 5, 2026, which contains the imagery you described.
The Facts of the Post
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The Content: The video is approximately one minute long and primarily focuses on debunked conspiracy theories regarding the 2020 election and Dominion Voting Systems.
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The Imagery: In the final seconds of the clip, an AI-generated or superimposed image appears showing the faces of Barack and Michelle Obama on the bodies of monkeys/apes, set to the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.”
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The Source: The President reposted the video on his Truth Social platform.
The situation surrounding President Trump’s social media post remains a major focal point in Washington today, February 6, 2026. While the White House has doubled down on its defense, the response from the Obamas’ circle and the broader political landscape has been one of sharp condemnation.
The Response from the Obamas
As of Friday afternoon, neither Barack nor Michelle Obama has released a personal statement. This follows their long-standing practice of generally avoiding direct engagement with President Trump’s social media provocations. However:
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The Obama Office: Major news outlets, including the Washington Post, report that a spokesperson for the Obamas has been reached out to but has not yet provided a formal comment.
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Ben Rhodes: A former top national security advisor and one of Barack Obama’s closest confidants, posted a stinging rebuke on X (formerly Twitter):
“Let it haunt Trump and his racist followers that future Americans will embrace the Obamas as beloved figures while studying him as a stain on our history.”
The Republican & White House Defense
The Republican response has been centered almost entirely on the White House Press Office, which is attempting to frame the video as a satirical pop-culture reference rather than a racial attack.
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Karoline Leavitt (Press Secretary): She dismissed the backlash as “fake outrage,” explaining that the clip is an internet meme portraying Trump as the “King of the Jungle.” She noted that the Search For This Video on Ojoojoo.com depicts various Democrats as different characters from The Lion King, including a clip of Joe Biden (who is white) as a primate.
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GOP Lawmakers: Most Republican members of Congress have remained silent so far. Democratic leaders, including Gavin Newsom, have publicly challenged them, stating, “Every single Republican must denounce this. Now.”
Expert & Civil Rights Reactions
Civil rights leaders and historians have pushed back against the “meme” defense, citing the specific historical weight of the imagery:
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Ibram X. Kendi: The Howard University historian noted that “the most foundational racist idea is likening Black people to apes,” arguing that the comparison is never neutral and is rooted in centuries of dehumanization.
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Timing: Many commentators have pointed out the “intent” of the post, noting that it was shared during Black History Month, which has intensified the criticism from groups like the NAACP and the National Urban League.
Key Video Details
The video is 62 seconds long and primarily focuses on debunked conspiracy theories about Dominion Voting Systems and the 2020 election. The imagery of the Obamas appears only in the final two seconds of the clip, showing their smiling faces superimposed on monkeys while the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” plays.
Response and Backlash
The post has sparked significant controversy:
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Condemnation: High-profile figures, including California Governor Gavin Newsom and former Obama advisor Ben Rhodes, have publicly denounced the imagery as “disgusting” and “racist.”
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White House Defense: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the criticism as “fake outrage.” She stated that the video is an internet meme portraying Trump as the “King of the Jungle” and other Democrats—including Joe Biden—as various animal characters from The Lion King.
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Pattern of Behavior: This is part of a series of AI-generated attacks the President has shared since beginning his second term, including a previous fake video of Barack Obama being arrested and images of other political rivals in caricatured costumes.
While the White House maintains it is a satirical “meme,” the use of simian imagery to depict Black figures is widely recognized as a historical racist trope, which is why it has drawn such sharp criticism from media outlets and political leaders alike.
