By Trendsetter Tribune 
On Friday, February 6, 2026, Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) drew sharp criticism for his response to a racist video shared by President Donald Trump. The controversy follows a period of heightened tension for the Senator, who recently faced blowback for his vote to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services.
The Content of the Post
The video, originally created by the conservative Patriot News Outlet, featured imagery long associated with racist dehumanization:
- The Visuals: Smiling faces of Barack and Michelle Obama were superimposed onto the bodies of apes in a jungle setting.
- The Audio: The clip was set to the 1961 song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.”
- The Removal: After an outcry from both Democrats and Republicans, the post was removed from the President’s Truth Social account. The White House initially defended it as a “Lion King” meme before later stating it was posted “erroneously” by a staffer.+1
Cassidy’s Response and Subsequent Ridicule
Senator Cassidy took to X (formerly Twitter) to thank the President for deleting the post, a move that many observers found inadequate given the nature of the content.
“Thank you to President Trump for taking down the post about the Obamas. He made significant inroads with his outreach in the African American community which we need to continue. His post sent the wrong message despite how it may have been originally intended.” — Sen. Bill Cassidy
The phrasing of “how it may have been originally intended” sparked immediate derision from critics who argued that the racist trope was unmistakable.
| Critic | Reaction |
| Fred Guttenberg | Labeled the Senator a “pathetic enabler” and called the post “racist trash.” |
| Ron Filipkowski | Referred to Cassidy’s tweet as “the dumbest most pathetic post on the internet today.” |
| Janice Hough | Questioned the Senator’s integrity, stating the video was clearly “intended to be racist and hateful.” |
Broader Republican Reaction
While Cassidy’s response was mocked for its perceived timidity, other prominent Republicans took a firmer stance:
- Senator Tim Scott (R-SC): The only Black Republican in the Senate called the video “the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House” and urged its immediate removal.
- Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE): Stated that “a reasonable person sees the racist context” regardless of any “Lion King” comparison and called for an apology.
- Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY): Described the post as “wrong and incredibly offensive.”
President Trump later told reporters on Air Force One that he had authorized the post but had only viewed the first half of the video, which focused on his claims regarding the 2020 election, and had not seen the imagery involving the Obamas. He has refused to issue an apology.