Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Feb 8: US President Donald Trump on Friday refused to apologise for a controversial video posted on his social media account that depicted former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as monkeys, even as he said he condemned the content. The White House shifted responsibility to staffers for the post.

The video, shared on Trump’s Truth Social account on Thursday, drew widespread condemnation across the political spectrum. Democrats denounced the clip as “vile,” while even some Republicans called it blatantly racist. In the one-minute video, which promoted false claims about Trump’s 2020 election loss to Joe Biden, the Obamas appeared for roughly a second with their faces superimposed on monkeys’ bodies.

Speaking from Air Force One, Trump said he had not watched the full clip and denied making a personal mistake. “I just looked at the first part... and I didn’t see the whole thing,” he said, adding that staffers who posted the video also did not view it entirely. When asked whether he condemned the racist imagery, Trump replied, “Of course I do.” On apologising, he said, “I didn’t make a mistake.”

The White House initially dismissed the uproar as “fake outrage” through press secretary Karoline Leavitt, describing the video as an internet meme featuring Trump as “King of the Jungle” and Democrats as characters from The Lion King. Hours later, the administration backtracked, acknowledging that a staffer had “erroneously made the post” and confirming that the video had been removed.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris criticised the White House’s reversal on X (formerly Twitter), calling it an obvious cover-up and reaffirming her stance on Trump’s history of racially divisive rhetoric.

Republican Senator Tim Scott, the party’s only Black senator and a 2024 presidential hopeful, called the clip “the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House,” highlighting the rare bipartisan backlash.

No immediate comment came from Barack or Michelle Obama. The incident underscores continued tensions over Trump’s social media activity and the handling of racially sensitive content within the White House.