Trump refuses to apologize for Obama monkey clip, blames staff

US President Donald Trump refused to issue an apology on Friday regarding a video circulating on his social media platform, Truth Social. The controversial content featured Barack and Michelle Obama depicted as monkeys. Although he condemned the video’s racist imagery publicly, insisting that he did not make a mistake, Trump initially brushed off the White House’s claim of a staff error by dismissing it as “fake outrage.”

The uproar began when the video was posted late on Thursday night amid other conspiracy-laden posts attacking Dominion Voting Systems for allegedly helping Joe Biden win the 2020 election. At first, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt attempted to downplay the issue, likening the images in the video to a meme about Trump as king of the jungle and Democrats as characters from “The Lion King.”

However, just under twelve hours after the post appeared on Truth Social, the administration made an unusual concession. A White House official stated that “a White House staffer erroneously made the post,” and it had since been taken down.

On Friday, Trump stood by his assertion that he condemned the racial imagery in the video but admitted he hadn’t seen its entirety due to a quick review of the initial segment. When asked if he would apologize for the offensive clip, Trump said: “I didn’t make a mistake,” and added that he had given staffers instructions to post it without watching the full video.

Democrats were swift to criticize Trump’s stance. Former Vice President Kamala Harris slammed the administration’s handling of the issue, stating, “No one believes this cover-up from the White House, especially since they originally defended this post.” The Obamas’ official response remained quiet.

Meanwhile, Republican figures such as Tim Scott and Roger Wicker condemned the video for its blatant racism. Both senators called on Trump to remove it immediately. Democrats also took aim at Trump, with Hakeem Jeffries from the US House of Representatives describing him as “vile,” “unhinged,” and “malignant.”

Interestingly, Republicans who had previously defended Trump’s stance joined in the condemnation after Scott declared that the video was “the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House.” The president’s relationship with his predecessor, Barack Obama—now a senator from Illinois—has been fraught with contention throughout his tenure. In contrast to their historical rivalry, many Democrats have long condemned Trump’s divisive racial rhetoric.

Throughout Trump’s second term in the White House, he has employed AI-generated visuals on platforms like Truth Social, often focusing on himself and rallying conservative audiences around social issues. He has also been known for using controversial imagery in negotiations with Republicans over avoiding a government shutdown; such as posting a fake video where Jeffries was shown wearing a mustache and sombrero.

In his crusade against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs at the White House, Trump continues to challenge these initiatives. These programs have roots in the US civil rights movement of the 1960s, spearheaded by Black Americans advocating for equality and justice after centuries of institutionalized racism including slavery, which ended with the Emancipation Proclamation in 1865. Despite this long history, institutionalized forms of racism continue to persist today.