President Donald Trump has stated he will not apologize for sharing a social media video that depicted former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama with their faces superimposed onto cartoon apes.
The video, which promoted false claims of 2020 election fraud, included the racially offensive imagery set to the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” It was posted to the President’s account on Thursday and removed late Friday after intense backlash.
Speaking to reporters, Trump claimed he had only viewed the beginning of the video, which focused on voter fraud, and passed it along without seeing the racist content. “I looked at the beginning of it. It was fine,” he stated, adding that the post was taken down “as soon as we found out about it.” A White House official said a staffer posted it in error.
The President said he condemns the racist imagery but refused to apologize, asserting, “No, I didn’t make a mistake.”
The post triggered rare bipartisan condemnation. Senator Tim Scott, the Senate’s only Black Republican, called it “the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House.” Other prominent Republicans also demanded its removal and an apology.
The incident occurred during Black History Month and has intensified scrutiny over the President’s use of manipulated media in political discourse.
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Disclaimer: This report is based on coverage from international news agency AFP
