U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed he 'didn't see' the portion of a social media video depicting Barack and Michelle Obama in a racist manner.
The clip, set to the song 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight', was part of a longer video shared by Trump, which included unfounded claims about voter fraud during the 2020 presidential election. The video was soon removed.
During a press briefing, Trump asserted that he 'didn't make a mistake' and had only watched the earlier part of the video before it was posted by a staff member. When pressed on whether he would apologize, he declined.
The video, featuring imagery that draws on historical racist tropes comparing Black individuals to monkeys, was criticized by Republican Senator Tim Scott as 'the most racist thing I've seen out of this White House'.
Initially, the White House defended the clip as a mere 'internet meme video', telling critics to 'stop the fake outrage'. However, following backlash, including remarks from multiple Republican senators, the clip was taken down, and a White House representative indicated a staffer had 'erroneously' made the post.
Trump noted that had his staff reviewed the entire video, they would have likely removed it prior to its public posting, suggesting he appreciated the video's commentary on voter fraud.
The incident underscores not only Trump's troubled history with race-related issues but also the complex dynamics within his party regarding race and representation.
