Trump's Truth Social Post Sparks Backlash Over Altered Image of Obamas

US President Trump posted a digitally-altered image of the Obamas boarding a graffiti-covered Air Force One, sparking backlash. A previous controversial post depicted the Obamas in a racist video, leading to damage control by the White House and criticism from both parties. The video falsely claimed election tampering.

On Sunday, US President Donald Trump shared an edited image on Truth Social where former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama are seen boarding an Air Force One jet defaced with graffiti. The digital artwork portrays the Obamas waving, with messages such as "Yes We Can," "Obama," "BLM," and "alhamdulillah," an Arabic phrase translating to "praise be to God."

This incident follows a controversy from earlier this year when Trump, on February 6, removed a 'racist' video from his Truth Social account. The video depicted the Obamas as apes, a provocative image invoking a racist trope. Despite its removal after heavy criticism, with calls from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers, Trump's administration initially dismissed the backlash as "fake outrage."

A White House staffer was blamed for the video's upload and later removal. Republican Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina publicly condemned the video, labeling it as racist and called for its removal. The situation forced the White House into a damage-control mode, emphasizing that President Trump was unaware of the video's content and was disappointed by its release.