Late Thursday night, Trump posted a roughly 62-second clip on Truth Social that amplified unfounded claims about the 2020 election and, in the final seconds, showed images of the Obamas’ faces superimposed on primates in a jungle setting. The imagery, accompanied by the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” quickly sparked outrage.

Initially, the White House defended the post, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt describing it as part of an “internet meme” portraying Trump as “King of the Jungle” and other Democrats as characters from The Lion King. Nevertheless, the response rapidly shifted as backlash mounted.

By Friday afternoon, the video had been deleted from Trump’s feed and White House officials said the post was made “erroneously” by a staffer, an attempt to deflect responsibility. Trump refused to apologize, telling reporters he hadn’t watched the offensive portion of the clip and insisting, “No, I didn’t make a mistake.”

The post triggered bipartisan condemnation, with Democrats calling the imagery racist and offensive and demanding accountability. Even within Trump’s own party, the uproar was notable: Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), the only Black Republican in the U.S. Senate, called it “the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House” and urged its removal.

The controversy forced the White House into damage control mode, as aides and allies sought to reassure lawmakers and the public that Trump was not fully aware of the content before it was posted.

As of now, the Obamas have not publicly responded to the incident.