Jack White Rebukes Donald Trump Over Racist Social Media Post
Jack White has reached a breaking point. While the former White Stripes frontman has a well-documented history of criticizing Donald Trump, a recent post from the former president’s social media account has sparked a new level of outrage from the rock icon.
The controversy ignited after Trump’s official Truth Social account shared—and subsequently removed—a video featuring a historically racist trope. The clip depicted Barack and Michelle Obama as apes dancing in a jungle setting to the tune of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” On Friday, February 6, White took to Instagram to share a screenshot of the offensive content, delivering a scathing critique of the current political climate.
“This post would basically get anyone, at any job, fired immediately,” White wrote. “Except for arguably the most important position in the world.”
White’s frustration went beyond the video itself, as he questioned how such a figure could maintain a grip on power. Urging for legal accountability, the musician called for Trump to be indicted and jailed, citing his appearance in the unsealed Jeffrey Epstein files as evidence of his character. White didn’t stop at personal condemnation; he advocated for sweeping systemic reforms, including the abolition of the Electoral College.
“Abolish these loopholes, abolish the electoral college… that got us here in the first place,” White argued. He expressed grave concern for the global community, stating that the world is currently “suffering from the whims of this sick, deranged man who, I will state again, has his tiny, bruised fingers on the nuclear launch button.”
According to reports, the video remained live for approximately 12 hours before it was scrubbed from the platform. A White House official told Variety that the post was shared “erroneously” by a staff member. Despite the eventual removal, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt initially defended the content, describing it as an “internet meme” that portrayed Trump as the “King of the Jungle” and Democrats as characters from The Lion King. She dismissed the subsequent backlash as “fake outrage.”
For White, however, the video is part of a larger, more dangerous pattern. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer has long maintained that Trump’s rhetoric is rooted in fascist ideology. In 2023, he famously declared that anyone who “normalizes” Trump’s behavior is equally complicit. More recently, in January, White blasted the politician for mocking filmmaker Rob Reiner following a family tragedy, labeling Trump a “vile, egomaniac loser” and a “narcissistic sin.”
The White House has not yet provided an official comment to Billboard regarding White’s latest remarks.
