U.S. President Donald Trump has deleted a controversial social media post that portrayed former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama using racist imagery, following widespread condemnation from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers.
The post, shared on Trump’s Truth Social platform, featured a video clip that included imagery long associated with racist stereotypes against Black people. The content sparked immediate backlash online and within political circles, with critics describing it as offensive and unacceptable.
Widespread Backlash
Several Republican lawmakers publicly condemned the post, describing it as racist and urging its removal. Democratic leaders also criticised the imagery, noting its historical use to dehumanise Black Americans and warning that such rhetoric deepens racial divisions in U.S. politics.
Hours after the backlash intensified, the post was removed. A spokesperson for Trump said the content had been shared in error and attributed the incident to a staff mistake. No direct apology was issued by Trump at the time of removal.
The White House initially downplayed the controversy, suggesting critics were overreacting to online content. However, the growing bipartisan criticism appeared to prompt a swift reversal, leading to the post’s deletion.
The incident has renewed scrutiny of Trump’s use of social media and rhetoric, particularly as racial issues remain a sensitive and polarising topic in the United States. It also highlighted rare public criticism of Trump by members of his own party.