US President Donald Trump has stated he 'didn't see' a part of a social media video that showed a racist clip depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes. The controversial clip appeared at the end of a video he shared claiming voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election, which was later removed.
When asked if he would apologize, Trump insisted, 'I didn't make a mistake,’ adding he had only viewed the clip's beginning before it was posted by a staff member. This move quickly drew criticism from various quarters, including Republican Senator Tim Scott, who described it as 'the most racist thing' he'd seen from the White House.
The White House initially dismissed the backlash, calling the clip an 'internet meme video' and telling critics to 'stop the fake outrage.' However, after pressure from other Republican leaders, the video was removed, with officials attributing the error to a staff member's miscalculation.
This incident also highlights a troubling trend of racial caricatures in politics, as the clip mimicked long-standing racist stereotypes comparing Black individuals to primates. The Obamas have not yet commented on the situation.
