‘What’s the purpose?’: Harlem entrepreneurs react to Trump’s deleted social media post

Описание: (6 Feb 2026)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
New York - 6 February 2026
1. Wide of Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
2. Black History Month Market inside the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Jacklyn Monk, Junebug Ink:
“My reaction to him posting it at all is that it's atrocious, horrible, embarrassing, and I mean, the guy needs help. It's awful. And I'm sorry that he's representing our country.”
4. Black History Month sign for sale
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Jacklyn Monk, Junebug Ink:
“I mean, it's horrible that it was this month, but it would be horrible if it was in March also. It's just as awful.”
6. People walking towards the entrance of the building
7. Dionne Rosa, founder Blossoming Rosa, at vendor table
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Dionne Rosa, Blossoming Rosa:
“I think that is very sad that we have a U.S. president that would make such a joke on another race or another human being, like, why? What's the purpose of it? It's just very sad. Very sad.”
9. Various exteriors of Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
10. People walking in the street
11. Exteriors of Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
STORYLINE:
Entrepreneurs at a Black History Month market in Harlem on Friday condemned a now-deleted social media post from President Donald Trump that depicted former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as primates in the jungle, calling the imagery "atrocious" and sad.”

Gathered at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, business owners reacted to the post, which the White House initially defended before removing it Friday morning.

“My reaction to him posting it at all is that it's atrocious, horrible, embarrassing,” said Jacklyn Monk, owner of Junebug Ink. “The guy needs help. It’s awful. And I’m sorry that he’s representing our country.”

The post was deleted Friday after widespread backlash for its treatment of the nation’s first Black president and first lady, who are Democrats. Black and white Republicans joined civil rights advocates in criticizing the post as racist. An Obama spokeswoman says the former president has no response.

“I think that is very sad that we have a U.S. President that would make such a joke on another race or another human being,” said Dionne Rosa, founder of Blossoming Rosa. “What’s the purpose of it? It’s just very sad.”

(AP video shot by Ted Shaffrey)

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