President Donald Trump reportedly privately criticized Republican Senators Katie Britt and Tim Scott after they publicly condemned a social media post he shared last week that included a video depicting former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes, CNN reported.
Newsweek reached out to Scott and Britt’s offices via email late Friday night for comment. Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment via email on Saturday.
Why It Matters
The clip drew immediate condemnation. Portraying Black people as apes and monkeys is a deep-seated racist trope spanning centuries. Republicans and Democrats alike pressed for its removal and an apology.
Scott of South Carolina publicly condemned the now-deleted video on Trump’s Truth Social account of the Obamas, calling it in part “the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House.” The president previously said he spoke to Scott, who is the lone Black Republican in the Senate.
Britt of Alabama wrote earlier this month on X, “This content was rightfully removed, should have never been posted to begin with, and is not who we are as a nation.”
What To Know
Earlier this month, Trump’s Truth Social account shared a video about voting machines in the 2020 presidential election, which featured the Obamas’ faces on the bodies of apes for about 1 second as the Tokens’ “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” plays.
Trump told reporters he would not apologize for the post, saying “No, I didn’t make a mistake. I mean…I look at a lot of, thousands of things, and I looked at the beginning of it. It was fine.” A White House spokesperson later said a “staffer erroneously made the post.”
After the post, which was later removed, Trump reportedly started questioning some GOP lawmakers’ loyalty. He also warned there would be consequences for those in his party who condemned the video, according to CNN, citing sources familiar with the matter.
A senior Trump administration official told CNN, “The president felt he could’ve handled that matter privately,” speaking about Scott. “He was like, ‘We work together all the time. He didn’t need to comment publicly.’”
One of the sources said that Trump had harsher words for Britt, saying she was dead to him. Britt’s office told CNN the report was “fake news” while highlighting the president’s working relationship with the senator. The White House called her “an incredible ally,” CNN said, adding that Trump has “great respect” for her.
Neither Scott nor Britt is up for reelection in November 2026, but Republicans have shown signs of internal strain in recent weeks, including disputes over federal immigration agents’ use of force and divisions over Trump’s tariff policies. The midterms are typically viewed as a bellwether of the party in power.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump, when asked about the video by reporters on Air Force One: “No. I looked at it. I saw it, and I just looked at the first part…I didn’t see the whole thing.” Trump later added, “I gave it to the people,” and “they posted” it.
Trump was also asked if he was going to apologize. He replied, in part, “No, I didn’t make a mistake. I mean, I look at a lot of thousands of things, and I looked at the beginning of it. It was fine…I guess it was a takeoff on The Lion King.”
Republican Alabama Senator Katie Britt’s office said in a statement to CNN: “This is classic fake news by CNN. Senator Britt has a 100% voting record with President Trump and remains one of his strongest allies in the Senate. Just this week, Senator Britt had a tremendous conversation with President Trump about her leadership as she fights to defend our incredible ICE officers, pass the SAVE America Act, and advance the president’s policies to make America affordable again. Any narrative suggesting otherwise is not only misleading, it is flat out false.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Newsweek in a statement earlier this month: “This is from an internet meme video depicting President Trump as the King of the Jungle and Democrats as characters from the Lion King. Please stop the fake outrage and report on something today that actually matters to the American public.”
The NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) wrote last Friday: “Trump posting this video—especially during Black History Month—is a stark reminder of how Trump and his followers truly view people. And we’ll remember that in November.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s press office wrote in a post on X reacting to the video: “Disgusting behavior by the President. Every single Republican must denounce this. Now.”
“Republicans against Trump” X account wrote last week in a post sharing a screenshot of the video: “Trump just posted a video on Truth Social that includes a racist image of Barack and Michelle Obama as monkeys. There’s no bottom.”
In a polarized era, the center is dismissed as bland. At Newsweek, ours is different: The Courageous Center—it’s not “both sides,” it’s sharp, challenging and alive with ideas. We follow facts, not factions. If that sounds like the kind of journalism you want to see thrive, we need you.
When you become a Newsweek Member, you support a mission to keep the center strong and vibrant. Members enjoy: Ad-free browsing, exclusive content and editor conversations. Help keep the center courageous. Join today.
