Senator Scott Rebukes President Trump Over Racist Video Depicting Obamas

Senator Scott Rebukes President Trump Over Racist Video Depicting Obamas

2026-02-07 politics

Washington D.C., Friday, 6 February 2026.
The Senate’s only Black Republican labeled a now-deleted video on President Trump’s account depicting the Obamas as apes the “most racist thing” he has witnessed from this White House.

Senator Scott Rebukes President Trump Over Racist Video Depicting Obamas

On Friday, February 6, Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) issued a sharp rebuke of a video posted to President Donald Trump’s Truth Social account that depicted former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama as apes [1][2]. Senator Scott, the only Black Republican in the Senate, described the post as the “most racist thing” he has witnessed from the current administration [1][2]. The video, which was posted at 11:44 p.m. ET on Thursday, remained live for approximately 12 hours before being deleted following a significant bipartisan outcry [1][4].

Bipartisan Backlash and Internal Friction

Senator Scott, who serves as the chair of the Senate Republican campaign arm, reportedly attempted to contact the President privately regarding the post but was unsuccessful [1]. Consequently, he took to the social media platform X to voice his condemnation, stating he was “praying it was fake” and urging the President to remove the content immediately [1][5]. This public criticism was echoed by other prominent Republicans, including Senators Roger Wicker and Pete Ricketts, as well as Representative Mike Lawler, who collectively denounced the post as “wrong,” “offensive,” and “totally unacceptable” [2][3][7].

Administration’s Pivot

The White House’s official stance shifted rapidly as the backlash intensified. Initially, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the reaction as “fake outrage,” asserting the video was merely a meme referencing The Lion King and urging the press to focus on other matters [1][5][7]. However, following the intervention of senior Republicans, a White House official later attributed the post to a staffer’s error [1][2]. This event draws parallels to the President’s history of promoting the “birther” conspiracy theory, which falsely questioned former President Obama’s citizenship [1][6].

Summary

This incident highlights a rare moment of direct conflict between congressional Republicans and President Trump regarding his social media conduct. While the party typically avoids engaging with the President’s online controversies, the severity of the racial imagery prompted an immediate and public rebuke from the Senate’s lone Black Republican and his colleagues [1][3]. The administration’s subsequent reversal—moving from dismissal to citing staffer error—underscores the political volatility of the post, particularly as it occurred during the first week of Black History Month [1][GPT].

Sources


Donald Trump Tim Scott