WASHINGTON — The White House issued a formal statement on Friday acknowledging that a racially inflammatory video shared on President Donald Trump’s official social media account originated from an internal error. The controversial content depicted former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama using dehumanizing imagery.
A senior administration official confirmed to AFP that a staff member was responsible for the erroneous post, which has since been deleted from the platform. The video, which circulated briefly before removal, employed simian imagery to portray the Obamas, widely condemned as overtly racist symbolism.
The incident triggered immediate backlash across political circles and civil rights organizations. Despite the swift removal, critics questioned the administration’s content review protocols and cultural sensitivity standards. Meanwhile, the President’s press secretary dismissed the subsequent criticism as ‘manufactured outrage,’ asserting that the post didn’t reflect the President’s views.
This event occurs amid ongoing discussions about racial discourse in political communications and raises questions about social media governance within governmental institutions. The White House has not disclosed whether disciplinary measures will be taken against the staff member involved.