President Trump Refuses to Eat Crow, Faces the Press on AF-1 Following the ‘Racist’ Video – RedState
Ah, yes, the weekend began with the press and social media (the two becoming more indistinguishable by the day) lathering over the president’s Truth Social account posting a “racist” video, depicting former President Barack Obama and the former first lady as animated monkeys. This is all the injection of political adrenaline needed to turn the screaming resistance members into howler monkeys, keeping with the primate theme.
As is always the case, there is more to the story, but it will be intentionally overlooked by these agitprop agents and their loyal minions of headline readers. So it’s up to those of us who have the ability to breathe patiently and think before we see the drive belts flying off the pulleys.
So we must first present sobering facts. First, the video that caused the hysteria was not the one that was posted. What was posted to the Truth account was instead a one-minute clip about election fraud. The controversial elements came from an autoplay feature of the platform providing the original, and the upsetting visuals were in place as a result of incorrect editing of the video at the end. Additionally, the clip seen was not an Obama-centered racist trope, but a satirical AI drawing depicting an array of Democratic figures as various African animals in a parody of The Lion King.
Here is the full video posted by the Trumps Truth Social account which features a one second clip of the Obamas with Lion King Music.
The clip is about election fraud and this brief clip appears at the very end of the clip.I don’t know if this was intentional or if the person who posted it didn’t do it… pic.twitter.com/5tIFzJXi9X
–Benjamin (@RunningbearTx) February 6, 2026
Were the Obamas intentionally portrayed this way? We suppose this argument could be made, but the lack of proven intent also exists. It was not the creation of the president, nor the White House. What is acknowledged at stake is that this is an unforced error by Trump’s communications team, as any excuse by the media to pounce on objectionable content regarding the president will see them attack like a lion on a Cape buffalo with a broken femur on the African savannah.
SEE ALSO: White House launches hilarious retort about Hakeem Jeffries after Karoline Leavitt and Hoo Boy’s meltdown
It must be recognized that President Trump did not react to the reactions of the press. It’s a trait that has served him well and has often thrown journalists off balance. This battalion of DC warmongers has been conditioned to see a political figure cower and apologize in cases like this, where being reduced to whining was the expected reaction. Trump does not give in to their standards. We saw this perplexed reaction from Kaitlan Collins last year. After a similar accusation of racism was attempted regarding the placement of a sombrero on Hakeem Jeffries, the CNN character was actually appalled that the president didn’t care about the accusations thrown around by the media.
NBC News covered the president’s reaction to this storm in a shot glass. The next evening, on a flight, the president confronted these media jackals and he stood his ground. And, predictably, his refusal to kneel in the face of racist accusations is itself now being used as an extra stick.
Trump says he won’t apologize for racist post describing the Obamas as monkeys (via@NBCNews) https://t.co/6rXsAQ6xZb
– Jonathan Lemire (@JonLemire) February 7, 2026
Speaking to reporters Friday evening, Trump said “of course” he condemned the racist portions of the video, while noting that he had no intention of apologizing.
“No, I didn’t make a mistake,” he said on Air Force One, adding that he had not seen the full video. “I watched the beginning. It was good.”
This is the right way to approach news of this nature. The press has shown over the years the double standards in place in cases like this. If a Democrat finds himself stuck in such a situation, he apologizes and is rewarded for “doing the decent thing.” Republicans benefit from no such pardon. An apology does not change the approach, as the instance will be recounted after the clothing has been returned, and often such apologies are then indicated as an admission of guilt on the part of the party involved.
Trump handled this correctly, indicating a level of disapproval and seeing that the clip was removed. There is nothing more to be done, much to the discontent of the press. Some Republicans weren’t much help, as they saw the need to gain camera time.
Rep. Mike Turner (OH-10) commented on the visuals saying he found them “offensive, heartbreaking.” Mike, you are a representative for the good of all that is sane. Heartbreaking?! If this has reduced you to the level of a sobbing wine mom on TikTok, you’re in the wrong room. Go connect with a think tank on social inequality in San Francisco.
NBC noted that Tim Scott was the one who issued a conviction. (“I pray it’s false because it’s the most racist thing I’ve seen in the White House.”) Then, without realizing it, NBC had to focus on racism itself, noting that Senator Scott is “the only black Republican in the upper chamber.” This contrasts, we must absorb, with the most open-minded Democratic senators – totaling four.
NBC also found that the most vocal criticism of the White House’s response came from the most neutral sources. We’re told there is “frustration” with Karoline Leavitt’s response on Friday, saying the spokesperson “dropped the ball” with her comments. “They say she either issued a statement without really understanding the situation or didn’t find it problematic to begin with.”
It’s a bold condemnation, “according to the White House ally with direct knowledge of the matter.”
And there is every reason to dismiss this as a meowing and pointing toddler. The need to inflate this episode beyond its scope is desperate politics. Giving him more credit would only invigorate the hysterics. Trump is right to let this die out during the weekend cycle.
Editor’s note: This article was updated after publication for clarity.
