CONNOR DUFFEY / ASST. NEWS EDITOR

Deleted tweets, political backlash and a canceled dinner all followed a recent video posted by Donald Trump to his official X account. The video depicted Trump as the “king of the jungle” while portraying Barack and Michelle Obama as apes. 

This   controversy   coincided with the   first    week   of    Black History Month.   This   year   marks  the   50th   anniversary  of   the   month’s  official recognition, while  the week has   been  recognized   for   100 years. 

Black History Month was officially    established   as   a  national observance by President Gerald Ford in 1976. The designation of this time was  intended to recognize the struggle and progress of African  Americans  throughout  the  history of the United States. The video received immediate backlash  from   prominent   political figures and  USD students  alike.   USD   sophomore Pema  Roseman shared her  thoughts on the post, noting its   jarring   nature.

“It   seems  pointless,”  Roseman stated. “And it’s really gross and off-putting. It’s interesting that they used photos of their faces where they seem really happy.” 

Beyond the campus community, leaders across the political spectrum, including Bernie Sanders, Tim Scott and Wes Moore, condemned the video.

“It goes  beyond a dog whistle,” stated Moore, the Governor of Maryland. “The video is blatant  racism. The words   our  leaders   choose matter. The images they invoke matter.”

Moore’s condemnation led to his exclusion from Trump’s “Governors’ Dinner,”  a move that sparked controversy with the National Governors Association (NGA). Moore, the nation’s only African-American governor, was one of two leaders barred from the event. The  second  was  Jared  Polis   of Colorado, who is among the nation’s few openly LGBTQ+ governors. 

In a show of bipartisan solidarity against executive exclusion, the NGA, under the leadership of Chairman Kevin Stitt, an Oklahoma Republican, withdrew  from  the event entirely.

Dr. Donnetrice Allison, a professor of Africana Studies at Stockton  University  and  creator of the series Teaching While Black,   shared  her   reaction   while visiting  USD  for  a  guest lecture. 

“I wasn’t surprised,” Allison stated. “The Obamas take up a lot of headspace for him. A lot of that is jealousy, because [the Obamas]  have  a  level of reverence and respect among people that he doesn’t seem to have.”

The Trump administration has not apologized. Allison suggested this lack of remorse is a calculated political move. 

“He can’t actually  apologize,” Allison explained. “In doing so, it would be an admission of wrongdoing, which could cause [Trump] to lose a large base of his supporters.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the criticism during a Feb. 6 press conference. 

“Stop the fake outrage,” Leavitt told journalists. “This is an internet meme. Report on something that actually matters to the American public.”

Derrick Johnson, President of the NAACP,  fired  back  at   Leavitt.

“It’s utterly despicable,” Johnson said. “The  video  is a  stark reminder   of  how  Trump  and his followers truly view people.”

Historically, multiple U.S.  presidents have used their position to support a forum for healthy political debate.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt began broadcasting his “Fireside Chats” starting in 1933, the first of a long line of broadcast media usage by U.S. presidents. The  “Fireside Chats” aimed to create a “national living room,” with  FDR   giving   transparent policy updates, as well as advice for life after the Great Depression. 

Since the “Fireside Chats,” the means and frequency of presidential communication have varied significantly, ranging from John F. Kennedy’s use of television broadcasts to Bill Clinton’s implementation of a campaign website.

USD    students    will    look   ahead   to future   social  media  correspondence    by    President    Trump,  continually  assessing  its   propensity for political unity or division.

President Trump posted the video to Truth Social. Photo courtesy of @WSJ/X.com