Trump condemns, will not apologize for racist video posted to his account

WASHINGTON

US President Donald Trump condemned, but refused to apologize Friday for a since-deleted racist video depicting former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama as apes.

The brief clip was included at the tail end of a video posted to his Truth Social account that reiterated the president's unproven voter fraud claims. In it, the widely smiling faces of the former president and first lady are placed atop the bodies of apes, perpetuating several tropes made against Black people as "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," a song made famous by Disney's The Lion King film, plays in the background.

The post mocking America's first Black president was made during Black History Month, a time dedicated to honoring the milestones, contributions and history of Black Americans.

"Of course I do," Trump said when he was asked by a reporter on Air Force One if he condemns the racist parts of the video.

But asked if he would apologize, Trump remained defiant, blaming the post on a staffer who he said posted the video on his behalf without seeing the part that included the racist depictions of the Obamas, maintaining that he "didn't make a mistake."

"I looked at the first part, and it was really about voter fraud in the machines, how crooked it is, how disgusting it is. Then I gave it to the people to --generally, they look at the whole thing. But I guess somebody didn't, and they posted, and we took it down," he said.

"Certainly, it was a very strong post in terms of voter fraud. Nobody knew that that was at the end. If they would have looked, they would have seen it, and probably they would have had the sense to take it down," he added.

The video was met with swift rebukes from across the political spectrum.

"Praying it was fake because it’s the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House. The President should remove it," Sen. Tim Scott, the chamber's sole Black Republican, wrote on US social media platform X.

Trump said he spoke to Scott and explained what happened, and "he understood that 100%."

Sen. Roger Wicker, a Republican from Mississippi, the state with the largest share of Black voters, called the post "totally unacceptable" and urged Trump to "take it down and apologize."

"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," said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the highest-ranking Black member in the history of the House of Representatives.

"Why are GOP leaders like John Thune continuing to stand by this sick individual? Every single Republican must immediately denounce Donald Trump’s disgusting bigotry," he added.