Trump says he didn't see full racist video before it was posted, says he won't apologize

[ad_1] President Donald Trump instructed reporters he did not see your complete video earlier than it was shared on his social media platform late Thursday evening that included a racist animation of former President Barack Obama and former first girl Michelle Obama depicted with the our bodies of apes and recommended he will not apologize for it.

Talking to reporters aboard Air Drive One on Friday night, Trump mentioned he solely noticed the primary a part of the since-deleted video that centered on debunked claims in regards to the 2020 election.

"I assume in the course of the finish of it, there was some sort of image individuals do not like. I would not prefer it both, however I did not see it," Trump mentioned. "I simply, I appeared on the first half, and it was actually about voter fraud."

IN FLIGHT - FEBRUARY 06: U.S. President Donald Trump gaggles with reporters whereas aboard Air Drive One on February 6, 2026 en path to Palm Seaside, Florida. The President is spending the weekend at Mar-a-Lago, his personal membership.

Samuel Corum/Getty Photos

On the finish of the video, the Obamas' faces seem abruptly on the our bodies of apes with out rationalization with the music "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" enjoying over it. The video then ends again on imagery of the election conspiracy video footage.

Requested if he would apologize for the video, Trump mentioned, "No, I did not make a mistake. I imply ... I take a look at a whole lot of, 1000's of, issues, and I appeared in the beginning of it. It was fantastic."

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

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with members of the media on board Air Drive One en path to Palm Seaside, Florida, U.S., February 6, 2026.

Ken Cedeno/Reuters

The video was shared on the president's social media account at 11:44 p.m. ET on Thursday. Following the backlash after the video was posted, the White Home at about midday Friday mentioned the publish had been taken down from the president's web page.

The Obamas had no remark when ABC Information reached out to their representatives for a response. They haven't publicly commented on the publish, however later Friday evening, they did make their first feedback for the reason that incident -- wishing group USA good luck on the Winter Olympics in a social media publish.

Former President Barack Obama and former first girl Michelle Obama hear throughout a State Funeral on the Nationwide Cathedral, Dec. 5, 2018, in Washington, for former President George H.W. Bush.

Alex Brandon/AP

White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt, when first requested for remark early Friday, had mentioned, "That is from an web meme video depicting President Trump because the King of the Jungle and Democrats as characters from the Lion King. Please cease the pretend outrage and report on one thing at this time that really issues to the American public."

Later Friday afternoon, a White Home official instructed ABC Information {that a} "staffer erroneously made the publish."

Requested by reporters Fridays who posted the video, Trump mentioned he noticed the video first -- however not the racist portion on the finish, he claimed -- after which gave it to "the individuals" to have it posted to his account.

White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks throughout a briefing on the White Home, Feb. 5, 2026, in Washington.

Evan Vucci/AP

The meme video referenced by Leavitt was shared in October by the Hardin County Republican Get together of Kentucky on Fb, which led the chairman to subject an apology and deleted the publish after swift backlash noting the lengthy historical past of racist tropes depicting Black individuals as apes or monkeys -- a device of slave merchants and segregationists to dehumanize them.

The video reposted by Trump in a single day included solely imagery of the Obamas.

Trump's in a single day repost was condemned by lawmakers on Capitol Hill, a few of whom had known as for it to be taken down and for the president to apologize.

Republican Sen. Tim Scott, the one Black Republican within the Senate and likewise the top of the Nationwide Republican Senatorial Committee, posted on X: "Praying it was pretend as a result of it is essentially the most racist factor I've seen out of this White Home. The President ought to take away it."

Trump instructed reporters he later spoke with Scott over the cellphone on Friday.

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 05: Chair of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and City Affairs Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) questions U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent throughout a listening to within the Dirksen Senate Workplace Constructing on February 05, 2026 in Washington, DC. The Committee met to listen to testimony on the Monetary Stability Oversight Council's Annual Report back to Congress.

Kevin Dietsch/Getty Photos

In the course of the dialog, Trump instructed Scott that the video had been posted by a staffer by mistake and that he would take it down, in line with a supply accustomed to the decision. The publish was later eliminated.

Home Democratic Chief Hakeem Jeffries, the primary Black chief of a celebration in Congress, wrote on X: "President Obama and Michelle Obama are good, compassionate and patriotic People. They symbolize the perfect of this nation. Donald Trump is a vile, unhinged and malignant backside feeder."

"Each single Republican should instantly denounce Donald Trump's disgusting bigotry," Jeffries wrote.

Republican Sen. Roger Wicker wrote in a publish: "That is completely unacceptable. The president ought to take it down and apologize."

Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, wrote in a publish: "Racist. Vile. Abhorrent. That is harmful and degrades our nation -- the place are Senate Republicans? The President should instantly delete the publish and apologize to Barack and Michelle Obama, two nice People who make Donald Trump seem like a small, envious man."