President Donald Trump has declined to apologize after briefly sharing a video on his Truth Social account that was widely criticized as racist, drawing bipartisan condemnation and renewed scrutiny of his social media conduct. The video, posted late Thursday, depicted former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes and remained online for almost 12 hours before being removed.
Trump maintained that the posting was an internal mistake and claimed he had only viewed the beginning of the clip, which focused on false allegations of voter fraud, before it was uploaded.
Trump Addresses Controversial Video
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday, Trump confirmed that he had previewed part of the video prior to its posting. The White House had earlier described the incident as a staff error. Trump stated that the offensive imagery appeared only at the end of the clip and should have been caught during review. “I looked at the beginning of it. It was fine,” he said, referring to the portion reiterating debunked Dominion Voting Systems claims. He added, “Somebody slipped and missed a very small part,” explaining that he forwarded the clip after viewing only the opening segment.
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Trump emphasized that the video was removed as soon as it was discovered, though it had already circulated widely across social media platforms.
Refusal to Apologize
When asked if he would apologize, Trump replied, “No. I didn’t make a mistake.” He condemned the racist imagery itself but insisted he bore no responsibility for the posting. Trump also dismissed concerns that the incident could affect his support among Black voters, highlighting his record and accomplishments in office instead.
Bipartisan Reaction and Criticism
The one-minute, AI-generated video, set to the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” combined manipulated visuals with false claims that Dominion Voting Systems had interfered in the 2020 election. The video drew immediate criticism from across the political spectrum.
A White House official later confirmed to News channel that the post was made in error by a staffer and was promptly removed. Criticism intensified after Trump admitted to previewing part of the video himself.
Senator Tim Scott, the only Black Republican in the Senate, publicly denounced the post as racist and urged its removal. The incident has reignited discussions about accountability and oversight regarding content shared on Trump’s social media platforms.