President Donald Trump has declined to apologize after briefly sharing a video on social media that was widely condemned as racist, triggering bipartisan backlash and renewed scrutiny of his online conduct. The video, which appeared on Trump’s Truth Social account late Thursday night, depicted former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes and remained online for nearly 12 hours before being taken down.
The president insisted the post was an internal mistake and maintained that he had only watched the opening portion of the clip, which focused on false claims of voter fraud, before it was uploaded.
Trump On Racist Video Depicting Obamas As Apes
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday, Trump acknowledged for the first time that he had previewed part of the video prior to it being posted. The White House had earlier said the video was uploaded due to a staff error. Trump said the offensive content appeared only at the end of the clip and should have been caught before it went live.
“I looked at the beginning of it. It was fine,” Trump said, referring to the section that repeated debunked allegations involving Dominion Voting Systems. He added that the racist imagery was missed during review. “Somebody slipped and missed a very small part,” he said, explaining that he had forwarded the video after watching only the opening moments, as per CNN.
Trump emphasized that the video was removed “as soon as we found out,” though it had already spread widely across social media platforms by then.
‘No, I Didn’t Make a Mistake’: Trump Rejects Apology
When asked whether he would apologize for the post, Trump was unequivocal. “No,” he said. “I didn’t make a mistake.” Pressed further, he said he condemned the racist imagery itself, responding, “Of course I do,” while maintaining that he bore no responsibility for its publication.
The president also brushed aside concerns that the episode could alienate Black voters ahead of upcoming elections, instead pointing to what he described as his record and accomplishments in office.
Bipartisan Backlash & Internal Party Criticism
The one-minute, AI-generated video was set to the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” and combined manipulated visuals with false claims that Dominion Voting Systems had played a role in stealing the 2020 election. The imagery and messaging drew swift condemnation across the political spectrum.
A White House official later told NBC News that “a staffer erroneously made the post” and confirmed that it had been removed. However, criticism intensified after Trump admitted to previewing part of the clip himself.
Senator Tim Scott, the only Black Republican in the Senate, publicly condemned the post, calling it racist and urging Trump to take it down. The incident has renewed debate over accountability within the White House and raised questions about oversight of content shared through the president’s social media accounts.