GOP Rep. Lawler says image posted by Trump mocking Obamas was 'racist'

[ad_1] New York Republican Rep. Mike Lawler reiterated his criticism of President Donald Trump on Sunday after a put up from Trump final week included a racist animation of former President Barack Obama and former first woman Michelle Obama depicted as apes.

"I believe typically in our public discourse it's best to only say, 'I am sorry,'" Lawler informed ABC Information' "This Week" co-anchor Jonathan Karl.

Lawler, who was one of many first Republicans to criticize Trump over the put up on Friday, mentioned that he's taking the White Home at its phrase that the put up was a "mistake" made by a staffer. Lawler added that whoever initially created the meme "is an fool."

Requested on Friday if he would apologize for the video, Trump informed reporters he wouldn't.

Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., seems on ABC Information' "This Week" on Feb. 8, 2026.

ABC Information

"No, I did not make a mistake. I imply, I have a look at a whole lot of -- hundreds of issues," Trump mentioned. "And I regarded firstly of it, it was nice."

Requested if he condemned the racist portion of the video, Trump mentioned, "After all I do."

Trump's put up included claims of debunked 2020 election conspiracies earlier than the Obamas' faces seem close to the tip on the our bodies of apes abruptly and briefly with out clarification with the tune "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" taking part in over it. White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt initially blasted criticism of the video as "faux outrage" earlier than the White Home later blamed it on a staffer and deleted the put up about 12 hours after it went on-line.

GOP Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, one in all Trump's staunchest allies, was the primary outstanding Republican to name out the president, calling the put up "essentially the most racist factor I've seen out of this White Home."

"I believe Tim Scott clearly was one of many first individuals to talk out. I do not suppose he was engaged in faux outrage," Lawler mentioned.

"I believe the overwhelming majority of People acknowledge that that kind of images, and attempting to, , evaluate, the primary Black president to a gorilla or a monkey, is insensitive, it is offensive, it is racist," Lawler mentioned.

He added, "Whether or not it was intentional or a mistake, the very fact is it is fallacious. And we should always all simply be capable of acknowledge that and transfer ahead."

Listed below are extra highlights from Lawler's interview:

On reviews Trump requested for Penn Station and Dulles Worldwide Airport named for him Karl: We discovered that President Trump informed Chuck Schumer, the Senate chief, that he could be keen to unfreeze $16 billion in funding for a significant infrastructure challenge in New York and New Jersey if the president -- if Schumer have been keen to endorse the thought of renaming Penn Station -- and, by the best way, Dulles Airport -- after Donald Trump. How how is that OK?

Lawler: I've been towards freezing the funds. However how did we get right here? Chuck Schumer determined, final fall to close the federal government down for 43 days. And in consequence, this important infrastructure challenge was frozen throughout that shutdown, during which the whole thing of the federal authorities, , was depleted of funds. I do know there have been quite a few conversations between the president and Senator Schumer to try to resolve this.

Karl: I imply, he is holding the cash hostage for having these items named after him. I imply, this isn't like a part of a, 'Let's honor any person.' He desires it named after himself and he is saying he'll unfreeze the cash if they're going to do it.

Lawler: Jon, on the finish of the day to me, I actually may care much less what the title of a constructing is. A important infrastructure challenge is. I care that it will get finished. And finally in my, from my vantage level, , work it out. These guys have been in, in, identified one another for roughly 50 years. You already know, this goes again a very long time from my vantage level.

On a bipartisan immigration answer Lawler: Look, this is a matter that I have been centered on for years. You already know, for 40 years, we have now not solved our immigration disaster. The American individuals have been rightly outraged by what occurred below the Biden administration, the place you had over 10.5 million migrants cross our border, most of them illegally. You already know, porous southern border wanted to be shut down, President Trump did that. The very fact is that we have now had 9 straight months of net-zero unlawful border crossings. You have had 675,000 individuals deported, 1.9 million individuals self-deport, lots of these of us, prison aliens or individuals who have been concerned within the prison justice system, the American individuals overwhelmingly help that. However what they do imagine, for those who've been on this nation, proper or fallacious, for 5, ten, 15, 20 years, your youngsters and your grandchildren are Americans, individuals do not need to see households damaged aside.

And so there's bought to be a authorized path ahead, not a path to citizenship, however a authorized path ahead for individuals to return out of the shadows in order that they'll work legally, that they'll pay their taxes, pay any again taxes owed, pay a nice, not accumulate authorities advantages, and never commit a criminal offense that's the foundation of the Dignity Act, in order that we will truly begin to clear up a disaster that has been in impact for 40 years. We have now over 25 million individuals on this nation who're undocumented. You are not rounding all of them up and kicking them out. It’s not reasonable.