Trump Privately Furious at GOP Senators Over Racist Obama Video Backlash
Donald Trump has reportedly privately lashed out at two Republican senators who condemned a racist video posted to the president's Truth Social account last week, according to a new CNN report. The video depicted former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama with their faces superimposed onto the bodies of dancing primates, set to the song "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." This content has sparked widespread backlash across the political spectrum, including from some of Trump's own supporters in Congress.
Republican Senators Publicly Condemn the Video
Republican Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, the only Black Republican senator, publicly criticised the video on social media platform X. He wrote, "Praying it was fake because it's the most racist thing I've seen out of this White House. The President should remove it." The White House has claimed that a staffer "erroneously" posted the video on February 5, and it was taken down several hours after being shared.
Senator Katie Britt from Alabama also denounced the racist video, posting on X last Friday, "This content was rightfully removed, should have never been posted to begin with, and is not who we are as a nation." Both senators' statements reflect a rare public rebuke from within Trump's own party regarding the offensive material.
Trump's Private Reactions and Defiance
According to sources familiar with the matter who spoke to CNN, Trump complained to allies while at Mar-a-Lago last weekend about Senator Tim Scott's public criticism. A senior Trump administration official told the outlet, "The president felt he could've handled that matter privately," adding that Trump said, "We work together all the time. He didn't need to comment publicly."
One CNN source reported that Trump slammed Senator Katie Britt, using expletives and stating she was "dead to him." However, Britt's office called CNN's reporting "fake news" and defended her relationship with the president, noting, "Senator Britt has a 100% voting record with President Trump and remains one of his strongest allies in the Senate. Any narrative suggesting otherwise is not only misleading, it is flat out false." The White House also emphasised Trump's "great respect" for Britt as an "incredible ally."
Trump Refuses to Apologise and Defends the Post
Trump has refused to apologise for the racist video, telling reporters on Air Force One last Friday, "I didn't make a mistake." He insisted he only saw the first part of the video, which promoted false claims about voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election, and not the end that depicted the Obamas as apes. Trump stated, "It was a very strong post in terms of voter fraud," and claimed that no one on his team knew about the racist depiction at the end, suggesting they "probably would've had the sense to take it down" if they had looked.
The president also mentioned that he spoke with Senator Tim Scott, telling reporters, "Tim is a great guy. He understood that a hundred percent." Additionally, Trump confirmed on Thursday that the staffer allegedly responsible for mistakenly posting the video has not been fired, maintaining the White House's stance that it was an error. This incident highlights ongoing tensions within the Republican Party and Trump's unyielding approach to controversial content shared through his official channels.
