President Donald Trump instructed reporters he did not see your entire video earlier than it was shared on his social media platform late Thursday night time that included a racist animation of former President Barack Obama and former first girl Michelle Obama depicted with the our bodies of apes and steered he will not apologize for it.
Chatting with reporters aboard Air Drive One on Friday night, Trump stated he solely noticed the primary a part of the since-deleted video that centered on debunked claims concerning the 2020 election.
“I assume in the course of the finish of it, there was some type of image folks do not like. I would not prefer it both, however I did not see it,” Trump stated. “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 Photographs
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 stated, “No, I did not make a mistake. I imply … I take a look at numerous, hundreds of, issues, and I appeared originally of it. It was effective.”
Requested if he condemned the racist portion of the video, Trump stated, “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 stated the submit 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 submit, however later Friday night time, they did make their first feedback for the reason that incident — wishing crew USA good luck on the Winter Olympics in a social media submit.
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 stated, “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 faux outrage and report on one thing as we speak that truly issues to the American public.”
Later Friday afternoon, a White Home official instructed ABC Information {that a} “staffer erroneously made the submit.”
Requested by reporters Fridays who posted the video, Trump stated he noticed the video first — however not the racist portion on the finish, he claimed — after which gave it to “the folks” 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 Celebration of Kentucky on Fb, which led the chairman to situation an apology and deleted the submit after swift backlash noting the lengthy historical past of racist tropes depicting Black folks 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 faux 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 Photographs
Throughout 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 submit 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 sensible, 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 submit: “That is completely unacceptable. The president ought to take it down and apologize.”
Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, wrote in a submit: “Racist. Vile. Abhorrent. That is harmful and degrades our nation — the place are Senate Republicans? The President should instantly delete the submit and apologize to Barack and Michelle Obama, two nice People who make Donald Trump appear to be a small, envious man.”
