GOP Sen. Tim Scott: Trump Post about Obamas ‘Most Racist Thing I’ve Seen’ from this White House/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Sen. Tim Scott sharply criticized President Donald Trump over a social media post depicting the Obamas as apes. Scott called it “the most racist thing” he has seen from the White House. The rare rebuke highlights growing unease among some Republicans over Trump’s online conduct.
Tim Scott Rebukes Trump Post: Quick Looks
- Tim Scott urges Trump to delete social media post
- Post depicts Barack and Michelle Obama as apes
- Scott calls it “most racist thing” from White House
- Rare public GOP criticism of Trump online behavior
- White House defends post as internet meme
- Backlash revives scrutiny of Trump’s racial rhetoric
Deep Look: GOP Sen. Tim Scott: Trump Post about Obamas ‘Most Racist Thing I’ve Seen” from this White House
WASHINGTON — Sen. Tim Scott, the only Black Republican in the U.S. Senate, publicly condemned President Donald Trump on Friday, calling on him to delete a social media post that portrayed former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes.
Scott said the post was “the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House,” marking a rare and forceful rebuke of Trump by a senior Republican lawmaker. Scott, who also leads the Senate Republican campaign arm, said he was initially “praying it was fake” before confirming it had been shared by the president.
“The President should remove it,” Scott said, underscoring the seriousness of his criticism.
Trump’s post, shared late Thursday night, featured an artificial intelligence–generated meme video portraying Trump as “King of the Jungle” while depicting Democratic figures as animals. Near the end of the video, Barack and Michelle Obama appeared as apes — imagery that civil rights advocates say draws on a centuries-old racist trope used to dehumanize Black people.
The White House defended the post, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt describing it as part of an internet meme portraying Trump as dominant and Democrats as cartoon characters inspired by The Lion King. She dismissed criticism as exaggerated.
Scott’s response stood out in a Republican Party that has largely avoided engaging publicly with backlash over Trump’s social media activity. His comments drew attention not only because of their bluntness, but also because Scott has often defended Trump in the past and worked closely with party leadership.
The episode revived scrutiny of Trump’s long history of racially charged rhetoric. He spent years promoting the false “birther” conspiracy theory questioning Obama’s citizenship and has repeatedly been criticized for comments about immigrants from African and Caribbean nations, as well as attacks on prominent Black political figures.
Democrats and advocacy groups seized on Scott’s condemnation as evidence that the post crossed a line even for some of Trump’s allies. However, there was no immediate indication Friday that Trump intended to delete the post or address the criticism directly.
The controversy adds to ongoing debates about the role of social media, artificial intelligence and political messaging at the highest levels of government — and whether there are limits to how far provocative imagery can go before it triggers bipartisan backlash.
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