Donald Trump's Truth Social account shared, then deleted, a video depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes. Why is that imagery considered racist?

President Trump shared a video late Thursday portraying the Obamas as apes. A Republican senator called it “the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House."

After a backlash, a racist video of the Obamas posted to Trump's account on Truth Social was deleted. The White House said a staffer had erroneously posted it.

The footage is included in a video that promotes false claims that the 2020 presidential election was rigged against Mr. Trump.

Update: The controversial Truth Social post has been removed as of Friday morning, with a senior White House official telling CNN's Alayna Treene: "A White House staffer erroneously made the post. It has been taken down.

The White House initially defended Trump's post, saying it was "from an internet meme video." But after backlash — including from Republicans — it was removed.

The former US president didn't name Trump, but lamented the lack of "shame" and "decorum" among public officials.

The depiction of the Obamas, posted from Trump's Truth Social account, was included in a video pushing a conspiracy theory about 2020 election voting machines.

President Trump told reporters he wouldn’t apologize for posting a video, which was later deleted, that included imagery depicting former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama as apes. Photo: Samuel Corum/Getty Images WASHINGTON—President Trump ...