A two-hour glimpse into President Trump’s social media featured topics ranging from planes in Qatar to trash in New York to a dog seemingly obsessed with whipped cream.
Donald Trump shares TruthSocial video that makes President Obama look like a monkey
President Donald Trump shared a video on Truth Social depicting former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as monkeys.
WASHINGTON – The post on President Donald Trump’s social media accounts that sparked a firestorm of criticism was just one score posted during a two-hour span that covered everything from high-stakes political rivalries to dogs who love whipped cream.
The eclectic collection of videos, most reposted from elsewhere, highlighted President Trump’s priorities. The post that sparked outrage was a video that depicted former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle as monkeys, and was later deleted and blamed on staff.
But most of the messages were more mundane, such as stressing support for requiring voters to show identification at polling places. Some mentioned Qatar’s agreement to buy 160 Boeing planes and the creation of a Trump savings account for newborns.
Not all posts were about hardcore politics. Some of the videos reposted without comment veered from the political to the absurd.
One of them showed martial arts legend Bruce Lee defeating a roomful of opponents. Another piece depicted a dog reacting to the sound of whipped cream being squirted into a cup.
The video was among more than 60 posts and reposts from President Trump’s Truth social accounts created during a rapid period of activity that began at 10:36 p.m. ET on February 5 and ended at 12:25 a.m. ET on February 6.
The White House initially dismissed criticism that Mr. Obama’s video was racist, claiming it was from a meme depicting Mr. Trump and the Obamas as characters from the movie “The Lion King.” However, the post was deleted about 12 hours later, and a White House official later told USA TODAY that a staffer had posted it in error.
But a close ally of Trump, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the president knew nothing about the post and that his staff had let him down. White House officials declined to say how many staffers have access to the president’s social media accounts.
A small group of trusted White House officials have access to the president’s social media accounts. The 2024 documentary “Art of the Surge: Donald Trump’s Comeback” showed President Trump dictating to his chief of staff Natalie Harp what to write in his posts.
Most of the clips highlighted President Trump’s political priorities. One video shows President Trump confronting Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) in the Oval Office during his first term. Mr. Trump said he was prepared to shut down the government to keep the border secure, and Mr. Schumer pointed out that the two sides disagree.
In another post, he thanked Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Florida), who proposed a bill to put President Trump’s face on Mount Rushmore.
But other posts were less upbeat, criticizing one of his former lawyers and calling the Democratic Party “the anti-Christ, anti-family, anti-black, and anti-life party!”
A clip from a political rally quotes President Trump as saying, “If you hate our country, if you’re not happy here, you can leave.”
After first lady Melania Trump’s documentary was a box office success, some of the reposts showed a montage of video clips of the couple with the song “Endless Love” playing. In one snippet, Melania Trump praises his loyalty and says she has nothing bad to say about him. In another article, the president praised his son Barron’s mother as one of the best mothers he has ever seen.
Another repost shows piles of trash piling up in New York City after a recent snowstorm.
Some of the posts appear to be aimed at President Trump’s grievances.
One of the reposted videos showed conservative social media influencer Laura Loomer criticizing CNN host Jake Tapper. Another repost said CNN was “forced” to report that President Trump said he had cut ties with sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
Some of the posts were shocking from the past.
Footage from a 1993 Congressional hearing showed President Trump demanding an apology and receiving one from Congressman George Miller (D-Calif.).
And a 1988 clip from Oprah Winfrey’s TV show shows President Trump saying he would force allies like Japan to trade more equitably with the United States, decades before imposing tariffs around the world.
Contributors: Joey Garrison and Francesca Chambers
