United States President, Donald Trump, has said he will not apologise for sharing a video on his social media platform that included a racist animation depicting former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama with the bodies of apes.
Trump told reporters that he did not watch the entire video before it was posted late Thursday night, claiming he only saw the opening section, which focused on false claims about the 2020 election.
Speaking aboard Air Force One on Friday evening, the president said he was unaware of the offensive imagery shown at the end of the clip.
“I guess during the end of it, there was some kind of picture people don’t like. I wouldn’t like it either, but I didn’t see it,” Trump said. “I just, I looked at the first part, and it was really about voter fraud.”
The video ends with the Obamas’ faces appearing on the bodies of apes while the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” plays, before cutting back to election conspiracy footage.
When asked whether he would apologise for posting the video, Trump rejected the idea.
“No, I didn’t make a mistake. I mean … I look at a lot of, thousands of, things, and I looked at the beginning of it. It was fine.”
Pressed on whether he condemned the racist section, Trump responded: “Of course I do.”
The video was posted at 11:44 p.m. ET on Thursday but was later removed following widespread backlash. The White House confirmed around midday Friday that the post had been taken down.
The Obamas did not immediately comment when contacted by ABC News, though they later shared a social media message wishing Team USA good luck at the Winter Olympics.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt initially dismissed criticism of the post, saying: “This is from an internet meme video depicting President Trump as the King of the Jungle and Democrats as characters from the Lion King. Please stop the fake outrage and report on something today that actually matters to the American public.”
Later, a White House official told ABC News that a “staffer erroneously made the post.”
Trump, however, told reporters he had seen the video first and then gave it to “the people” to upload, insisting he did not view the racist portion.
The meme video had previously been shared in October by the Hardin County Republican Party of Kentucky, whose chairman later apologised and deleted it after criticism over racist tropes historically used to dehumanise Black people.
Lawmakers from both parties condemned Trump’s repost, with some calling for its removal and an apology.
Senator Tim Scott wrote on X: “Praying it was fake because it’s the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House. The President should remove it.”
Trump later said he spoke with Scott by phone and explained that the post had been shared by a staffer in error.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries also condemned the video, writing: “President Obama and Michelle Obama are brilliant, compassionate and patriotic Americans. They represent the best of this country. Donald Trump is a vile, unhinged and malignant bottom feeder.”
“Every single Republican must immediately denounce Donald Trump’s disgusting bigotry,” Jeffries added.
Republican Senator Roger Wicker called the post unacceptable, saying: “This is totally unacceptable. The president should take it down and apologize.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also criticised the president’s actions, writing: “Racist. Vile. Abhorrent. This is dangerous and degrades our country – where are Senate Republicans? The President must immediately delete the post and apologize to Barack and Michelle Obama, two great Americans who make Donald Trump look like a small, envious man.”
(ABC News)
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