President Donald Trump refused to apologize on Friday after his account posted a racist video depicting former President Barack Obama as an ape. The president explained to reporters on Air Force One that he screened only the first part of the clip regarding alleged voter fraud. However, Trump blamed a staffer for the final frames of the video and insisted that the administration removed the content immediately upon discovery.
The video remained online for nearly twelve hours before the White House took it down following intense bipartisan outrage and calls for removal.
The controversial video specifically depicts Barack and Michelle Obama as apes in a jungle while the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” plays. Furthermore, it repeats widely discredited claims suggesting the 2020 election results were fraudulent due to massive vote-rigging by various political opponents. Neither Trump nor the White House has offered a formal apology for the video, which remained online for nearly twelve hours.
Bipartisan Reactions and Accusations of a Cover-Up
Senator Tim Scott described the footage as the most racist thing he has ever seen coming from this current White House administration. In contrast, former Vice President Kamala Harris accused the White House of a cover-up after officials originally attempted to defend the post. Top Democrat Chuck Schumer described the video as racist and vile, asserting that the Obamas are great Americans compared to Trump.
Additionally, Hakeem Jeffries called the behavior malignant and urged all Republicans to condemn the president’s disgusting bigotry and historical pattern immediately. Representative Mike Lawler of New York also stated the post was incredibly offensive and should have been deleted with an immediate apology.
A History of Controversial Rhetoric
This latest controversy adds to a documented history of rhetoric involving the birther conspiracy and derogatory comments about Somalia and other nations. For instance, Trump previously shared a video depicting Representative Hakeem Jeffries with a mustache and a sombrero to mock his ethnic background. He also recently referred to Somalis as garbage and used vulgar language to describe various developing nations during his many political rallies.
Although he eventually admitted Barack Obama was born in Hawaii, he falsely blamed Hillary Clinton for starting the original birtherism conspiracy. Critics like Ben Rhodes argue that these repeated incidents will leave a lasting stain on the history of the American presidency.
White House Damage Control
The controversial video stayed on the president’s social media feed for nearly twelve hours before officials finally removed it amid a storm of criticism. Trump insisted the post was very strong regarding voter fraud but acknowledged that someone slipped and missed a very small, offensive part.
Additionally, the White House entered a damage control mode for most of the day as allies and opponents alike condemned the imagery used. Trump maintained his stance that he did not make a mistake himself despite acknowledging that he had personally screened some of the content.
Questions and Answers
Did President Trump apologize for the racist video?
No, the president firmly refused to apologize because he insisted that he did not personally make a mistake regarding the social media post.
What reason did Trump give for the video being posted?
Trump claimed that he only watched the beginning of the video and then passed it to a staffer who failed to finish it.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What was the reaction of Senator Tim Scott?
Senator Tim Scott called the post the most racist thing he had seen from the White House and prayed that the video was fake.
How long was the racist video online?
The racist video remained on the president’s social media feed for nearly twelve hours before the White House finally decided to remove the post.
What did the video depict?
The video depicted former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes in a jungle setting during its final frames.