The question of whether Donald Trump’s actions are motivated by racism has moved from the fringes of political commentary to the center of a national firestorm.
In early February 2026, a series of events – ranging from the snubbing of the nation’s only Black governor to a dehumanizing social media post – has left both critics and allies grappling with a familiar, yet increasingly sharp controversy.
The snub of Wes Moore
The latest friction began when Maryland Governor Wes Moore, the nation’s only Black governor and the Vice Chair of the National Governors Association (NGA), revealed he had been “uninvited” from the traditional bipartisan White House dinner. While the event has historically served as a bridge between the federal government and state leaders of both parties, this year’s guest list appeared to undergo a partisan scrub.
Governor Moore did not mince words, calling the exclusion a “blatant disrespect and a snub to the spirit of bipartisan federal-state partnership.”
“As the nation’s only Black governor, I can’t ignore that being singled out for exclusion from this bipartisan tradition carries an added weight—whether that was the intent or not,” Moore said in a statement.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the criticism with a direct assertion of executive privilege.
“These are White House events and the President can invite whomever he wants,” Leavitt stated.
She later suggested that the decision was not personal or racial, noting that Moore “did not show up” to the previous year’s dinner. However, the move prompted a historic boycott: All 18 Democratic governors announced they would skip the dinner in solidarity with Moore and Colorado Governor Jared Polis, who was also excluded.
The “Ape” meme and the staffer defense
The Moore controversy arrived on the heels of an even more explosive incident. On Feb. 6, President Trump’s social media account shared a video that depicted former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes. The video, set to the tune of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” was viewed by millions and stayed up for 12 hours before being removed.
“Most of us already know who Donald Trump is. We already know there are no bounds to how low he’s willing to go.”
– Jasmine Crockett
“Most of us already know who Donald Trump is,” said Texas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett. “We already know there are no bounds to how low he’s willing to go. We know that he has no moral compass. We know that he is a disgrace. So while his behavior is not shocking, it is certainly disgusting and disturbing.
“But when will it be enough for those who continue to stand beside him? When will Republicans in Congress condemn his behavior? Your silence is complicity — and it is very loud.”
While the NAACP called the video “blatantly racist, disgusting, and utterly despicable,” the internal reaction from Republicans was notably different from past episodes. The imagery, a historic racist trope used to dehumanize Black Americans, triggered a rare public condemnation from Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), a staunch Trump ally.
“Praying it was fake because it’s the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House,” Scott wrote on X. “The President should remove it.”
While maintaining support for Trump’s policies, the Black Conservative Federation issued a rare rebuke, calling the imagery “unacceptable, offensive, and indefensible.”
The White House blamed the post on an unnamed staffer, a defense the President himself echoed. Trump told reporters he “didn’t see the entire video” and only watched the first part, which focused on his claims of voter fraud. “No, I didn’t make a mistake,” Trump said when asked for an apology. “I looked at the beginning of it. It was fine.”
A history of confrontation
For many, these incidents are not isolated “lapses” but part of a long-standing pattern. Critics point back to the very start of his political rise:
- 1973: The Justice Department sued Trump and his father, Fred Trump, for housing discrimination against Black tenants.
- 1989: Trump took out full-page ads calling for the death penalty for the Central Park Five, five teenagers of color who were later exonerated.
- 2015: He launched his campaign by claiming Mexico was sending “criminals” and “rapists.”
- 2017: The implementation of a travel ban targeting several majority-Muslim countries.
- 2024: Called African nations sh*thole countries.
Trump also maintains a lack of interest in racial diversity when staffing his administration and the judiciary, as about 90% of his nominees for each have been white. Not one of Trump’s judges this term has been an African American woman.
The political scaffolding
Political analysts suggest that as Trump’s poll numbers fluctuate on policy issues like the economy and immigration, these flashpoints energize his core base. By framing the backlash as “fake outrage,” a phrase frequently used by Karoline Leavitt, the administration pivots the conversation away from racial sensitivity toward a battle against “political correctness.”
While allies like CJ Pearson argue there is “not a racist bone in President Trump’s body” and point to the First Step Act and HBCU funding as proof of his commitment to the Black community, the cumulative weight of his rhetoric continues to define his presidency.
