After Trump’s Racist Post, the Obamas Send a Message

• Silence from the Obamas after Trump’s racist post
• Racist video sparks controversy
• Indirect Olympic message

According to USA TODAY, Barack Obama and Michelle Obama maintained public silence in response to a racist post shared on social media by President Donald Trump, but later reappeared with a message of support for U.S. athletes competing in the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy.

The gesture was interpreted by supporters as an indirect response amid widespread condemnation of Trump over a video that portrayed the Obamas as apes in a jungle.

Silence Toward Trump’s Racist Post and an Olympic Message

🚨 Donald Trump admitted that the racist video against Barack and Michelle Obama posted on his Truth profile contained an offensive message, but clarified that he did not upload it and will not apologize. 😳💻 According to the president, the post was a mistake by his social media team, which failed to… pic.twitter.com/7By2oo8SZj

— La Razón de México (@LaRazon_mx) February 7, 2026

Barack and Michelle Obama did not respond directly to the racist post circulated on social media from President Donald Trump’s account.

The content showed a video apparently generated with artificial intelligence, in which the faces of the former president and former first lady appeared superimposed on the bodies of two apes in a jungle.

Despite the controversy, the couple chose not to issue any public comments about the video.

On February 6, both shared a joint message encouraging U.S. athletes competing in the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, held in Milan–Cortina, Italy.

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“To all the athletes representing @TeamUSA: I am so proud of you,” Barack Obama wrote on X.

In the same message, he said their talent and perseverance had brought them to that moment and that he and Michelle would join Americans in supporting them.

The Obamas have historically maintained this posture toward Trump, avoiding responses to provocations dating back to 2016, when the then-candidate promoted false claims about Barack Obama’s birthplace.

Public Reactions and Condemnation of the Video

Show us you’re unbothered without telling us you’re unbothered….#Respect #ARealPresident https://t.co/W3Xj4aebTb

— NAACP (@NAACP) February 7, 2026

The Olympic message was interpreted by Obama supporters as a response without direct confrontation.

The NAACP posted on X that the gesture showed the former president was not affected by the attack.

Eldridge Recasner, a former NBA player and television analyst, praised the couple in a post tied to Black History Month, which began in early February.

In his message, he highlighted the class and excellence of Barack and Michelle Obama and suggested that their legacy raised the standard of the White House.

The video shared on Trump’s Truth Social account sparked a wave of criticism during the late hours of February 5 and the early hours of February 6.

The White House offered conflicting explanations regarding how the content was published.

Initially, it was claimed the video came from a meme portraying Trump and the Obamas as characters from The Lion King.

The post was removed after approximately 12 hours, and it was later stated that a staff member had shared it by mistake.

Trump Refuses to Apologize

Various critics, including Republican lawmakers, condemned the video’s content.

Senator Tim Scott, a close Trump ally and prominent African American Republican, wrote that he prayed the video was fake and described it as the most racist thing to come out of the White House.

Donald Trump refused to apologize for the post.

During a flight aboard Air Force One to Florida on February 6, Trump told reporters that he had not seen the full racist post before it was shared.

He said he views thousands of pieces of content and that, at first glance, the video seemed acceptable to him.

When asked about calls from Republican lawmakers for an apology, he said he did not intend to do so.

He later stated that he condemned the racist portion of the video but maintained that he had not made a mistake.

Initially, an Obama spokesperson said the former president had not responded.

Later, the Obama Foundation published a compilation of videos showing the couple speaking about their relationship and shared values.

This behavior has been linked to a phrase Michelle Obama used during the 2016 presidential campaign, when she said that when others go low, they choose to go high.

NAACP President Derrick Johnson described the video as absolutely despicable and accused Trump of attempting to divert public attention.

Johnson stated that silence in the face of presidential conduct would have historical consequences for the African American community.