Trump Stands Firm, Declines to Apologise for Controversial Obama Video
Former President Donald Trump has publicly refused to apologise for sharing a video that depicted Barack and Michelle Obama with the bodies of apes. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday night, Trump addressed the controversy for the first time since the video's release, which has drawn outrage from both Democratic and Republican figures.
"I Didn't Make a Mistake"
"I looked at it. I didn't see the whole thing. I gave it to the people, they posted it," Trump stated, explaining that he had not viewed the segment where the Obamas were superimposed onto ape bodies. He emphasised his focus on the video's content about alleged election fraud, describing it as "really strong" and "credible."
When directly asked if he would issue an apology, Trump responded firmly: "No, I didn't make a mistake." He further defended his actions by distancing himself from the video's creation, noting, "I didn't do it. This was done by someone else. It was a re-truth but that was a very strong truth."
Defence of Record and Staff
Trump also asserted that the White House staffer allegedly responsible for posting the video would not face termination. He took the opportunity to tout his relationship with the Black community during his presidency, claiming, "Black voters have been great to me. I've been great to them and I am, by the way, the least racist president you've had in a long time, as far as I am concerned."
The former president additionally lashed out at a journalist who questioned his awareness of activities conducted in his name, retorting, "I know a hell of a lot better than you do. You don't know what's going on. I know what's going on."
Video Details and Immediate Fallout
The controversial clip, shared by Trump late on Thursday night, primarily focuses on his unsubstantiated claims of fraud during the 2020 election. The AI-generated video shows the faces of the former president and first lady imposed on ape bodies, accompanied by The Tokens' song The Lion Sleeps Tonight. Originally from a pro-Trump account on X, the video was reposted by Trump on his Truth Social platform.
Trump's latest provocation targeting the Obama family ignited widespread condemnation across the political spectrum. California Governor Gavin Newsom's press office labelled it "disgusting behavior by the President" on X, demanding that "every single Republican must denounce this. Now."
Republican Senator Tim Scott, the only Black Republican in the Senate, also voiced strong criticism online, stating, "Praying it was fake because it's the most racist thing I've seen out of this White House. The President should remove it."
White House Response and Subsequent Actions
Initially, a spokesman for Trump told the Daily Mail on Friday that "a White House staffer erroneously made the post. It has been taken down," without identifying the staffer held responsible. However, Trump later deleted the clip himself hours after facing furious backlash from senior Republicans.
Following the deletion, Trump posted a video detailing the history of the Black conservative movement within the Republican Party. This reversal occurred just hours after press secretary Karoline Leavitt had doubled down on Trump's attack against the Obamas, accusing critics of "fake outrage."
Leavitt explained to the Daily Mail, "This is from an internet meme video depicting President Trump as the King of the Jungle and Democrats as characters from the Lion King. Please stop the fake outrage and report on something today that actually matters to the American public."
This remains a developing story with ongoing political ramifications.
