Trump Deletes Truth Social Posts Depicting Obamas with Ape Features and Himself in Jesus-Like Image After Criticism

By [Neutral Rewrite Editor]

*Published: 2026-04-15*

President Donald Trump has frequently used social media platforms, including Truth Social, to share posts during late-night sessions, a practice that sources familiar with his administrations and campaigns describe as dating back to his early political career on what was then Twitter. These sources, who served in both of his presidential terms and across his three campaigns, indicate that Trump has employed such posts to influence television coverage, noting instances where networks adjusted programming to report on his messages shortly after posting.

Over the past decade, Trump's posts have often prompted reactions from Democrats and left-leaning commentators on cable networks, alongside measured responses from Republican lawmakers. However, in recent months during the second year of his second term, some posts have drawn criticism from within his own party.

Obama Video Incident

Two months ago, on February 15, 2026, a video appeared on Trump's Truth Social account showing the faces of former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama superimposed onto figures with ape-like features in a jungle setting, moving side to side as "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" played. The video originated as a meme created by online user Xerias, which depicted Democrats as characters from Disney's *The Lion King* in the context of alleged voter fraud claims from the 2024 election. It was reposted to Trump's account.

The post prompted immediate backlash online and from public figures, with accusations of racism leveled by Democrats and some Republicans. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described it as "an internet meme video depicting President Trump as the King of the Jungle and Democrats as characters from the Lion King." Trump later stated that he had not seen the portion of the video with the superimposed faces and that a staffer had posted it without his full knowledge of its content.

Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, a Trump ally and the Senate's only Black member, responded on social media, writing that he was "praying it was fake" and describing it as "the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House." Rep. Mike Lawler, a New York Republican representing a district that voted for Kamala Harris in 2024, called the post "wrong and incredibly offensive — whether intentional or a mistake" and urged its immediate deletion with an apology.

The video remained online for about 12 hours before being deleted. This marked one of the few instances in Trump's political career where he removed a social media post following criticism.

Posts During Iran Conflict

Trump's social media activity continued amid escalating tensions with Iran. The conflict began on February 28, 2026, with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets, following reports of Iran's advancements in its nuclear program, a crackdown on anti-government protests that resulted in thousands of deaths according to human rights monitors, and Iranian threats against U.S. and Israeli interests. Trump had publicly called for Iranians to overthrow their regime amid these developments.

During the conflict, Trump posted on Truth Social messages that included threats to target Iranian power plants and water desalination facilities, which some international law experts noted are classified as civilian infrastructure protected under the Geneva Conventions. According to screenshots and reports from multiple outlets including BBC, Washington Post, and The Guardian, one post stated: "a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again" if Iran did not agree to a ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz by 8 p.m. on the following Tuesday. These statements drew condemnation from various quarters.

Chicago-born Robert Prevost, elected Pope Leo XIV in 2025 following the death of Pope Francis, criticized Trump's Iran-related rhetoric. Prevost, the 267th Bishop of Rome and head of the Catholic Church, described the language as "truly unacceptable" in a statement advocating for peace. Trump responded on Truth Social late Sunday, calling the pope "WEAK" on crime and "terrible" on foreign policy, as part of a series of posts that also included an AI-generated image of himself.

Jesus-Like Image and Papal Exchange

The AI image depicted Trump in a white robe and red sash, with a glowing hand outstretched over a man in a hospital bed, surrounded by U.S. symbols including a flag, the Statue of Liberty, an eagle, fireworks, and fighter jets. Trump addressed the image on Monday outside the White House, telling reporters: "I did post it and I thought it was me as a doctor and had to do with Red Cross. It’s supposed to be me as a doctor, making people better. And I do make people better. I make people a lot better." He attributed interpretations comparing it to Jesus imagery to "fake news" and declined to apologize to the pope, citing the pontiff's statements as "wrong."

Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic and a prominent administration figure, commented on Fox News, suggesting "it would be best for the Vatican to stick to matters of morality" and for the U.S. president to handle American public policy. Other Republican allies offered similar deflections when questioned.

The post faced criticism from right-wing commentators and religious figures. Catholic podcaster Isabel Brown of The Daily Wire called it "disgusting and unacceptable, but also a profound misreading of the American people experiencing a true and beautiful revival of faith in Christ." Michael Knowles, another Daily Wire Catholic commentator, stated it "behooves the President both spiritually and politically to delete the picture, no matter the intent." Coverage from BBC, Washington Post, and The Guardian noted bipartisan and right-wing calls for its removal, often citing risks of misinterpretation despite Trump's explanation.

Within hours, the image was deleted from Trump's Truth Social feed.

Pattern of Deletions

These two deletions—the Obama video in February and the AI image over the weekend—represent uncommon occurrences for Trump, who has historically resisted removing posts despite backlash. Sources close to the administration note that such actions followed direct criticism from Republican figures and allies.

Trump's use of Truth Social remains a key communication tool, with posts often amplifying messages to his millions of followers. The platform, launched during his first post-presidency period, has been central to his engagement strategy. As the second year of his term progresses, these incidents highlight ongoing scrutiny of his social media activity amid domestic and international developments.

(Word count: 1308)