U.S. Bishops' Chairman Calls President Trump's Racist Post of the Obamas "egregious" and Cardinal Calls for an Apology
Statement on President's Trump's Racist Content from Social Media
Bishop Daniel Garcia, Chairman of the U.S. Bishops' Subcommittee (USCCB) for the Promotion of Racial Justice and Reconciliation, issued the following response regarding the removal of a recent video, issued on Feb. 5, on voter fraud depicting former President and 1st Lady Obama as apes, from Truth Social:
"The recent removal of a video from President Donald Trump's social media account—which used dehumanizing imagery to depict former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama—is a necessary step. While I am relieved to see this egregious content taken down following public outcry, we must address the underlying heart of the matter.
As my brother bishops and I articulated in our pastoral letter against racism:
'Every racist act—every such comment, every joke, every disparaging look as a reaction to the color of skin, ethnicity, or place of origin—is a failure to acknowledge another person as a brother or sister, created in the image
of G od.'
We remain committed to the dignity of all human persons and continue to pray for a society where such disparagement has no place."
His condemnation was joined by Archbishop Weisenburger of Detroit and Cardinal Cupich of Chicago who called for a speedy apology (see statements below). Others also voiced their condemnation including an African-American popular religious sister named Sr. Josephine Garrett (see bottom)
However, Pres. Trump when questioned by reporters refused to apologize saying; “I just looked at the first part” about voter fraud and “I didn’t see the whole thing.” 'I didn't make a mistake.'
Archbishop Weisenburger of Detroit also condemned the recent White House post on Truth Social
In response to a February 5, 2026 social media post on Truth Social, Detroit Archbishop Edward Weisenburger issued the following statement:
"A recent post on Truth Social under President Donald Trump's name used a racist meme to depict former President Obama and his wife, Michelle. It is very disturbing that anyone, much less the President of the United States or his staff members, should see racist memes as humorous or appropriate expressions of political discourse. They are deeply offensive and must be condemned in the strongest terms.
"I join my voice to the many calling for a public apology with full acceptance of responsibility, and I also bristle at claims from the White House that the rage many of us feel is 'fake.' Beyond the necessary apology, I also believe that we all must examine our conscience, individually and collectively. We need to recognize and acknowledge how prevalent racism continues to be in our society and commit ourselves to vigilance in counteracting its harm.
"As Catholics, we believe that every person is made in the image and likeness of God. This sacred truth compels us to treat every human being with dignity, respect, and love. We must recommit ourselves to vigilance in counteracting the wounds caused by the evil of racism as truly we are called to be one human family."
Source: https://www.aod.org/announcements-newsroom/newsroom/2026/february/archbishop-weisenburger-condemns-recent-white-house-post-on-truth-social
Statement of Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, calling for an apology from the White House for a racist social media postFebruary 9, 2026
Portraying human beings as animals – less than human – is not new.
It was a common way in past centuries for politicians and others to demean immigrant groups as each arrived, the Chinese, Irish, Italians, Slavs, Jews, Latinos and so on. Cartoons, “news” articles, even theatrical productions carried the message that these “others” were worthy of ridicule.
It made it easier to turn a blind eye to their privation, pay them pitiful wages and mock their “foreign” religion even as the country needed their labor. It immunized the national conscience when we turned away shiploads of refugees, lynched thousands and doomed generations to poverty.
We tell ourselves that those days belong in the past – that even sharing that history is harmful to the fantasy of equality we strive to create.
A few days ago, we saw that in the White House such blatant racism is not merely a practice of the past. If the President intentionally approved the message containing viciously racist images, he should admit it. If he did not know of it originally, he should explain why he let his staff describe the public outcry over their transmission as fake outrage.
Either way he should apologize. Our shock is real. So is our outrage. Nothing less than an unequivocal apology – to the nation and to the persons demeaned – is acceptable.
And it must come immediately.
https://www.archchicago.org/en/statement/-/article/2026/02/09/cardinal-blase-cupich-calling-for-apology-from-the-white-house
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