Rock musician Jack White has once again taken aim at Donald Trump, accusing the former president of crossing a disturbing new line with a racist social media post that briefly appeared on Trump’s official Truth Social account.
The now-deleted video portrayed Michelle Obama and Barack Obama as apes dancing in a jungle to The Lion Sleeps Tonight by The Tokens—imagery widely condemned as a historically racist trope. White shared a screenshot of the clip on Instagram on Friday (Feb. 6), calling out what he saw as blatant double standards.
“This post would get anyone fired immediately—except for someone holding arguably the most powerful job in the world,” White wrote, questioning how Trump continues to wield influence despite repeated controversies. He went further, asking how Americans have allowed “this evil man” to retain so much power.
White didn’t stop there. He urged the public to “indict” and “jail” the twice-impeached former president, also referencing Trump’s past association with Jeffrey Epstein, whose name resurfaced in recently released court documents. Trump has denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein.
Calling for sweeping political reforms, White criticized the electoral college and what he described as loopholes that have failed not only Americans, but people around the world affected by U.S. policies. He warned that Trump’s temperament makes his access to nuclear power especially alarming.
According to reports, the offensive video remained live for roughly 12 hours before being removed. A White House official told Variety that the post was shared in error by a staffer. Still, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt initially brushed off criticism, describing the clip as a meme portraying Trump as “the King of the Jungle” and Democrats as characters from The Lion King, urging media outlets to “stop the fake outrage.”
White—and many others—strongly disagreed. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer has long accused Trump of promoting racist and fascist ideas. In 2023, he publicly condemned not just Trump but anyone who “normalizes” him, labeling the former president a dangerous con man unworthy of respect.
Earlier this year, White also lashed out after Trump mocked filmmaker Rob Reiner shortly after news broke of a tragic death involving Reiner’s family. White called the act “vile” and “narcissistic,” accusing Trump of exploiting tragedy to fuel his own authoritarian agenda.
For White, the resurfaced video is not an isolated incident—it’s another example, he argues, of behavior that should disqualify anyone from holding power, let alone the highest office in the world.