US President Donald Trump has stated he didn't see the part of a social media video which displayed a racist representation of Barack and Michelle Obama as apes. The clip, paired with the song 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight,' was included at the end of a 62-second video he had shared, which contained unfounded claims about voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election. Following public uproar, Trump asserted, I didn't make a mistake when questioned about an apology.
He claimed his exposure to the video was limited to its beginning before a staff member posted it without his knowledge of the offensive imagery. Criticism for the shared content came from various quarters, including Republican Senator Tim Scott, who branded it the most racist thing I've seen out of this White House.
Initially, the White House defended the video as an 'internet meme' but later conceded to backlash, admitting a staffer had erroneously shared the offending clip. Trump noted that if his staff had viewed the entire video beforehand, it likely would have been taken down.
Senator Scott, aligned with Trump, indicated he hoped the video was fake but urged its removal, labeling it inexcusable, while other Republican representatives also condemned the post as offensive.
Before the video was deleted, numerous politicians criticized it, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries declaring Trump a vile, unhinged and malignant bottom feeder and calling for immediate denunciation of Trump's actions from the Republican party.
The content of the video, which also humorously depicted Trump as the 'King of the Jungle,' was said to be part of a broader smear against Democratic figures, which included a series of dubious claims surrounding the 2020 election results.
Despite removing the post, reactions continued to echo, with various public figures citing the necessity for Trump to meaningfully address the implications of the video and the historic insensitivity it represented.
