When former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama briefly appeared in a video posted to President Donald Trump’s Truth Social account last week — animated as apes — it sparked a firestorm of backlash from Democrats and Republicans alike. But for many Black voters, the outrage has been intensely personal, re-opening old wounds and crystallizing deep fears about the direction of American politics.
The video, which circulated for 12 hours before being removed amid bipartisan backlash, immediately drew condemnation from civil rights advocates, elected officials, and voters, many of whom said the post went beyond offensive rhetoric.
“This wasn’t just a joke or a mistake,” said Monique Harris, a community organizer in Atlanta. “That kind of imagery has a history. It’s painful, and it tells people exactly how little respect some leaders have for Black Americans — even those who’ve held the highest offices in the country.”
The depiction of Black people as animals has deep roots in racist propaganda used to justify slavery, segregation and discrimination. For many Black voters, seeing the nation’s first Black president and first lady portrayed that way was especially jarring.
“I watched it and just felt angry,” said Jamal Turner, a small business owner in Birmingham, Alabama. “This is someone who is the leader of the country. You can’t separate that kind of imagery from what it represents.”
Backlash spreads beyond party lines
The video prompted criticism not only from Democrats but also from within Trump’s own party. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, the only Black Republican in the Senate, publicly condemned the post, calling it racist and unacceptable. Other Republicans described the imagery as indefensible, even as Trump declined to issue a formal apology.
Trump claims he did not personally post the video and suggested the backlash was exaggerated, a response that further frustrated many Black voters.
“If he had simply acknowledged the harm and apologized, that might have mattered,” said Tasha Freeman, a Detroit public school teacher. “But dismissing it? That tells people he doesn’t understand.”
Political consequences ahead
Black voters overwhelmingly supported Democratic candidates in recent elections, and political analysts say incidents like this could further solidify opposition to Trump while energizing turnout and grassroots organizing in the months ahead before the midterm elections in November.
“People are talking about it everywhere — barbershops, churches, family dinners,” Harris said. “Moments like this remind people why voting and speaking out still matter.”
While the White House has sought to move past the incident, many Black voters say the damage lingers.
“This is something people will remember,” Turner said. “Not because it was shocking, but because it confirmed what a lot of us already believed.”
As the political cycle intensifies, the backlash over the video underscores how issues of race and representation continue to shape voter attitudes — and how a single post can reverberate far beyond social media.
