President Donald Trump may be trying to sweep his racist image under the rug. Trump hosted a White House reception for Black History Month on Wednesday, less than two weeks after he sparked a bipartisan outcry by posting a racist video on social media that depicted former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, as primates in a jungle.
“We celebrate Black History Month. We honor the memory of those who came before us by continuing their legacy,” he said.
Trump on Wednesday didn’t reference the video, which he deleted after a widespread backlash but said he won’t apologize for posting. He also did not reference Barack Obama, the nation’s first Black president, but spoke of other history-making Black Americans.
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On Feb. 5, President Trump posted a video to his Truth Social account that sparked immediate and widespread backlash. The clip included manipulated imagery depicting former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes in a jungle setting — a racist trope historically used to dehumanize Black people. The video was part of a broader montage criticizing political opponents, but the imagery involving the Obamas quickly became the focal point of outrage.
Civil rights organizations, Democratic lawmakers, did not take kindly to the post, particularly given the long history of racist caricatures in American political culture. Trump later deleted the video.
In response to a question about the post, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said earlier Wednesday: “There is a lot this president has done for all Americans, regardless of race. And he has absolutely been falsely called and smeared as a racist.”
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The events surrounding President Trump’s recent social media post and subsequent Black History Month reception highlight the ongoing tension between political messaging, public perception, and racial accountability in contemporary U.S. politics. Even when an administration attempts to shift focus toward symbolic gestures or celebratory events, past actions and controversies can continue to shape public narratives and influence how communities perceive leadership.
Trump name-checked prominent Black Americans among his supporters, including boxer Mike Tyson, whom Trump praised for defending him against accusations of racism, and rapper Nicki Minaj, whose skin he praised as “so beautiful” while commenting on how long her fingernails were.