Fox News Suddenly Flips on Trump Over Racist Video, Ingraham Pins the White House Down on Live TV — and Refuses to Let It Go
Fox News has delivered a rare and sharp pivot from its usual defense of President Donald Trump, with host Laura Ingraham aggressively questioning the White House over a now-deleted racist video Trump shared on Truth Social depicting former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes. The segment on The Ingraham Angle has sparked widespread discussion about shifting dynamics at Fox News amid bipartisan outrage.
The controversy erupted after Trump posted a longer video late Thursday night (February 5, 2026) pushing false claims about 2020 election fraud. Tucked into the clip was an AI-generated or meme-style segment portraying the Obamas — and other Democrats — as various animals, with the former first couple specifically shown as apes, invoking a long-standing racist trope. The post remained live for roughly 12 hours before Trump deleted it on Friday morning amid intense backlash.
Initial White House response came from Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who dismissed the uproar as “fake outrage” and described the content as “from an internet meme video.” When pressed further, the administration shifted to blaming a staffer for erroneously posting it, insisting Trump himself had not seen the objectionable portion.
On Friday night’s The Ingraham Angle, Laura Ingraham confronted Leavitt directly in a tense live exchange that many viewers described as uncharacteristically pointed from the normally pro-Trump host. Ingraham opened by noting the post “set off a firestorm online” and described the clip as portraying the Obamas “with an ape motif.” She repeatedly challenged the shifting explanations:
- “How did this happen?”
- “Can you really throw a staffer under the bus for this?”
- She highlighted that criticism wasn’t just coming from Democrats — even prominent Republicans had condemned it.
Leavitt responded by reiterating that “it was a meme that was posted by a staffer,” linking it to a Lion King-style depiction of politicians as animals, and pivoted to accusing “leftist media” of obsessing over it instead of positive economic news like the Dow breaking records. Ingraham pressed on, refusing to let the deflection stand and emphasizing the bipartisan nature of the backlash.
The moment stood out because Fox News has historically provided strong support for Trump, often downplaying or contextualizing controversial statements. This time, Ingraham’s persistent questioning — and the network airing the segment prominently — marked a noticeable departure, especially as the story overlapped with Black History Month.
Republican reactions were swift and harsh:
- Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), the only Black Republican in the Senate, called it “the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House” and urged its immediate removal.
- Other GOP voices described it as “unacceptable,” “vile,” and “abhorrent,” with calls for an apology.
Trump himself has refused to apologize, stating he “didn’t see” the specific clip and standing by the broader post. The White House has not issued a formal apology.
For U.S. viewers, the episode highlights ongoing tensions around racial rhetoric in politics, especially during a time of heightened national division. Many analysts note that even loyal outlets like Fox News appear to recognize limits when content crosses into overt racial caricature, particularly when it draws fire from within the Republican Party.
Here’s a quick comparison of the evolving White House explanations:
| Timeline | Official Statement / Defense | Key Response from Ingraham / Others |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Post (Thu night) | Posted by Trump on Truth Social as part of election claims video | N/A |
| Early Friday | White House calls backlash “fake outrage,” calls it “an internet meme video” | Growing outrage from both parties |
| Later Friday | Blames staffer for erroneous posting; Trump says he “didn’t see” the clip | Republicans demand removal |
| Ingraham Segment (Fri night) | Leavitt: “Meme posted by staffer… leave it to leftist media” | Ingraham presses: “How did this happen?” “Can you throw a staffer under the bus?” |
The incident has fueled debate about accountability, social media oversight, and the role of friendly media in holding leaders to account — even when they’re allies.
By Sam Michael
Follow us on X @realnewshubs and subscribe for push notifications.
Follow and subscribe us increase push notification.
SEO tags: Fox News flips on Trump, Laura Ingraham Trump racist video, Ingraham Karoline Leavitt, Trump Obama apes video, racist Truth Social post Trump, White House Trump racist video, Laura Ingraham questions White House, Trump deletes racist post
FAQ Schema
Question: What was the racist video Trump posted? Answer: An AI-generated or meme clip shared on Truth Social that depicted Barack and Michelle Obama as apes, included in a longer video about election claims.
Question: Why did Laura Ingraham confront the White House? Answer: On The Ingraham Angle, she pressed Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt about the post’s origin, the shifting explanations, and why Trump wasn’t apologizing, noting bipartisan criticism.
Question: Did Trump apologize for the video? Answer: No — he deleted it after backlash but said he didn’t see the specific clip and refused to apologize.
Question: What did Republicans say about the video? Answer: Several condemned it, with Sen. Tim Scott calling it “the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House” and urging its removal.
Review Schema
Item Reviewed: Fox News Segment on Trump’s Racist Obama Video Reviewer: Sam Michael Review Rating: 4.5/5 Review Body: Laura Ingraham’s tough questioning of the White House on live TV marked a striking moment of accountability from Fox News — rare, direct, and newsworthy amid widespread outrage over the post.