Trump, weeks after backlash over racist post, hosts Black History Month reception

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump hosted a White House reception for Black History Month on Wednesday, less than two weeks after he sparked a bipartisan outcry by posting a racist video on social media that depicted former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, as primates in a jungle.

Trump on Wednesday didn't reference the video, which he deleted after a widespread backlash but said he won't apologize for posting. He also did not reference Barack Obama, the nation's first Black president, but spoke of other history-making Black Americans.

“We celebrate Black History Month. We honor the memory of those who came before us by continuing their legacy,” he said.

Trump name-checked prominent Black Americans among his supporters, including boxer Mike Tyson, whom Trump praised for defending him against accusations of racism, and rapper Nicki Minaj, whose skin he praised as “so beautiful” while commenting on how long her fingernails were.

The Republican president brought onstage several members of his administration, including Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner and White House pardon czar Alice Marie Johnson.

“As you look out upon this sea of Black Americans, this president hears you. This president cares for you. Don’t let anyone tell you that this president right here, Donald Trump has not — is not for Black America," Johnson said. “Because he is.”

Trump listed ways he said his policies benefited Black Americans, including the law he signed last year eliminating federal income taxes on tips and his deployment of National Guard troops “to bring back safety” in cities with large populations of Black residents, such as Washington, New Orleans and Memphis, Tennessee.

The reception came the day after Trump proclaimed in another social media post that he has been “falsely and consistently called a Racist by the Scoundrels and Lunatics on the Radical Left,” in a message that was meant to pay tribute to the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who died Tuesday.

In response to a question about the post, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said earlier Wednesday: “There is a lot this president has done for all Americans, regardless of race. And he has absolutely been falsely called and smeared as a racist."

Trump has long recognized Black History Month as president, but his policies and rhetoric while in office often contradict celebrations of diversity and the contributions of Black Americans.

Trump has targeted the diversity, equity and inclusion programs that helped many Black Americans find jobs in both the federal government and a variety of private industries over the last several decades. He has called DEI programs “discrimination,” and he has pushed to eradicate them from the government and put pressure on the private sector to do the same.

At the same time, Trump has painted himself as champion of historically Black colleges and universities. The White House on Wednesday highlighted the Trump administration’s move last year to steer $500 million to HBCUs. The one-time boost largely came from federal money taken away from colleges serving large shares of Hispanic students. The award for HBCUs came days after the Education Department pulled $350 million from other grant programs targeting colleges with certain percentages of Hispanic students and other minority groups. The Trump administration said those grant programs were unconstitutional.

Trump began his second term by claiming some African American history lessons are meant to indoctrinate people into hating the country. He issued an executive order “restoring truth and sanity to American history,” which the administration used to scrub historical information from national parks that “inappropriately disparage Americans past or living,” including Black history markers.

Shortly after beginning his second term, Trump issued a proclamation recognizing February as Black History Month as the Defense Department was declaring that official resources will no longer be used to mark cultural awareness months.

The White House’s Black History Month reception last year was also held in the wake of another executive order that ended the federal government’s diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

Associated Press writers Collin Binkley in Washington and Graham Brewer in Norman, Oklahoma, contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump speaks during a Black History Month event in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Donald Trump and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner, right, listen as former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Dr. Ben Carson speaks during a Black History Month event in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Donald Trump speaks during a Black History Month event in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nathan Howard)

President Donald Trump speaks as White House pardon czar Alice Johnson listens during a Black History Month event in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nathan Howard)

Tiny Bodø/Glimt produced another Champions League shock by stunning last year's beaten finalist Inter Milan 3-1 in the playoffs on Wednesday.

The Norwegian underdog followed up back-to-back wins against Manchester City and Atletico Madrid by securing a two-goal advantage going into next week's second leg in Milan.

Anthony Gordon scored four goals in the first half as Newcastle routed Qarabag 6-1.

Atletico drew 3-3 away to Club Brugge and Bayer Leverkusen has a 2-0 lead after its first leg at Olympiacos.

Bodø/Glimt is fast becoming the unlikely story of this season's Champions League, producing one upset after another.

After booking its place in the playoffs with wins against City and Atletico, it strengthened its chances of advancing to the round of 16 with victory against Italian league leader Inter.

Sondre Fet put the home team ahead after collecting Kasper Hogh’s backheel in the 20th minute.

Francesco Pio Esposito equalized before the break, but Bodø/Glimt took control in the second half.

Hogh produced a second assist to set up Jens Petter Hauge in the 61st and then got a goal himself three minutes later.

“I feel amazing, just thankful to play with this team. I’m happy that I could help the team by making assists and scoring a goal. I play in a good team, so that’s nice," Hogh said.

Inter was a beaten finalist in two of the last three seasons, but now faces a major test to advance to the next round.

“A bad result for us and a bad night for us, but we need to stay calm and believe that we can win at home,” Inter midfielder Petar Sucic said.

Newcastle was 5-0 up by halftime against Qarabag in Azerbaijan and, barring an unlikely collapse in the second leg at home, is cruising into the round of 16.

Gordon completed his hat trick in 33 minutes at the Tofik Bakhramov Stadium in Baku and got a fourth in first-half added time.

He now has 10 Champions League goals this season, breaking Alan Shearer's Newcastle record of six in a single campaign in European soccer's top club competition.

“He could have had more, but (it was) a very good display,” coach Eddie Howe said.

Malick Thiaw was also on target for the Premier League team, which had 16 shots in a rampant first half.

Elvin Jafarguliyev pulled one back for Qarabag, which has been one of the surprise stories of this season's Champions League after qualifying for the playoffs. But Jacob Murphy's deflected strike completed the rout for Newcastle, which will be the fifth English team in the last 16 if it advances.

Atletico blew a two-goal lead at Club Brugge and then saw the Belgians come back again with an equalizer in the 89th to keep the teams neck and neck at 3-3.

Julian Alvarez's eighth-minute penalty was followed by another goal from January signing Ademola Lookman in first-half added time.

Raphael Onyedika pulled a goal back six minutes into the second half after Nicolo Tresoldi's effort was saved. Tresoldi then leveled on the hour.

Atletico regained the lead in the 70th through an own goal from Joel Ordonez, but Christian Tzolis produced a final twist in the 89th.

Two goals from Patrik Schick put Leverkusen in complete control against Olympiacos, with the Germans winning 2-0 ahead of the home second leg.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Brugge's team celebrate after Christos Tzolis scored his side's third goal during the Champions League play-off first leg soccer match between Club Brugge and Atletico Madrid, in Bruges, Belgium, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Bodø/Glimt's Sondre Brunstad Fet celebrates after scoring against Inter's Milan during a Champions League soccer match, Wednesday, Feb 18, 2026, in Bodo, Norway. (Mats Torbergsen/NTB Scanpix via AP)

Bodø/Glimt's Jens Petter Hauge celebrates after scoring against Inter Milan during a Champions League soccer match, Wednesday, Feb 18, 2026, in Bodo, Norway. (Thomas Andersen/NTB Scanpix via AP)

Newcastle's Jacob Murphy celebrates after scoring his side's sixth goal during the Champions League play-off first leg soccer match between Qarabag and Newcastle in Baku, Azerbaijan, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo)

Newcastle's Anthony Gordon, centre, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's first goal during the Champions League play-off first leg soccer match between Qarabag and Newcastle in Baku, Azerbaijan, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo)

Newcastle's Anthony Gordon, left, celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the Champions League play-off first leg soccer match between Qarabag and Newcastle in Baku, Azerbaijan, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo)