President Donald Trump sparked new controversy on Feb. 21, 2026, after he reposted a message from far-right activist Laura Loomer insulting former first lady Michelle Obama, just days after the White House rushed to remove a racist video portraying the Obamas as primates.
Trump reshared Loomer’s Truth Social post, which included incendiary accusations about Michelle Obama and former President Barack Obama. The post alleged the Obamas were preparing “witch hunts against Trump” and labeled Michelle Obama an “anti-White racist,” also referring to the former president as “Barack Hussein Obama.”
This latest repost followed close to three weeks after Trump shared a 62-second clip showing the Obamas’ faces superimposed onto primate bodies. That Feb. 5 video, which stayed online for nearly half a day, drew swift, bipartisan backlash before it was removed, with the White House attributing the upload to a staff error.
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt initially defended the primate video, dismissing criticism as performative outrage and claiming it was based on an online meme casting Trump as the King of the Jungle with Democrats represented as figures from The Lion King. Hours later, the administration reversed course and deleted the post.
Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One after the removal, Trump said he had not watched the end of the video and would not issue an apology. When asked if he condemned the racist portion of the clip, he replied, “Of course I do.”
The incidents occurred during Black History Month, creating a stark contrast with Trump’s official proclamation celebrating the achievements and influence of Black Americans.
Reactions to the original video crossed party lines. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, the Senate’s only Black Republican, described it as “the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House.” Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, who is white and represents the state with the highest percentage of Black residents, said the post was “totally unacceptable.”
NAACP President Derrick Johnson condemned the video in harsh terms: “Donald Trump’s video is blatantly racist, disgusting, and utterly despicable.”
Rev. Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., responded by quoting her father: “Yes. I’m Black. I’m proud of it. I’m Black and beautiful.” She added that Black Americans—”as postal workers and professors, as a former first lady and president”—are “beloved of God. We are not apes.”
Former President Obama addressed the controversy for the first time during a Feb. 15 podcast interview with commentator Brian Tyler Cohen, who asked him about the “de-evolution of the discourse” emerging from Trump’s administration, particularly the racist video.
The repost also featured Trump’s demand that Netflix remove board member Susan Rice. “Netflix should fire racist, Trump Deranged Susan Rice, IMMEDIATELY, or pay the consequences,” Trump wrote. “She’s got no talent or skills – purely a political hack!” Netflix did not directly comment, but co-CEO Ted Sarandos rejected the idea when asked by the BBC, saying, “This is a business deal. It’s not a political deal.”
Rice, who served as U.S. national security adviser and U.N. ambassador under Obama, first joined Netflix’s board in 2018, left during the Biden administration, and returned in 2023. Netflix also maintains ties to the Obamas through its overall deal with Higher Ground Productions, founded by Barack and Michelle Obama.
Loomer’s initial post suggested that if the Netflix-Warner Bros. merger goes through, “positive messaging of the Democrats’ upcoming witch hunts against Trump” will be “blasted across all streaming services as the Obamas’ Higher Ground Productions continues to grow within Netflix.”
These events come as Trump confronts increasing scrutiny over several policy moves. The controversies have heightened questions about who manages his social media account, which he frequently uses to unveil policy directives, announce import taxes, and communicate directly with the nation.