Trump Insists He Did Not See Offensive Ending of Obama Meme Video
Former President Donald Trump has asserted that he was unaware of the controversial conclusion of a video shared on his Truth Social account, which depicted former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama in a racist manner as apes. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday night while en route to Florida, Trump emphasized that he would not have posted the content had he known about its offensive nature.
Conversation with Senator Tim Scott
Trump revealed that he had already engaged in a discussion with Senator Tim Scott, the sole Black Republican in the Senate, following Scott's demand for the video's removal. "I spoke to Tim Scott. He was great. Tim is a great guy. He understood that 100%," Trump commented. He further explained, "I didn't see the whole thing. I guess during the end of it there was some kind of a picture that people don't like. I wouldn't like it either."
Focus on Initial Segment
The former president admitted to only watching the opening portion of the approximately one-minute video, which was designed as a "Lion King" meme and initially centered on allegations of voter fraud. "I liked the beginning," Trump stated. "I didn't see it. I looked at the first part." He noted that the introductory segment addressed "voter fraud in some place, Georgia," and he forwarded it without reviewing the remainder.
White House Attributes Posting to Staff Error
The White House attributed the video's posting to an error, pointing to an unidentified staff member who failed to conduct a complete review. "Generally they look at the whole thing, but I guess somebody didn't," Trump remarked. "We took it down as soon as we found out." The video was subsequently deleted from Trump's Truth Social account hours later, amid escalating backlash from various quarters.
No Apology Offered
When questioned about issuing an apology, Trump declined. "No, I didn't make a mistake," he asserted. "I mean, I look at a lot of — thousands of things. I looked at the beginning of it, it was fine."
Mixed Responses from White House Officials
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt initially defended the post, describing it as "from an internet meme video depicting President Trump as the King of the Jungle and Democrats as characters from the Lion King." She added, "Please stop the fake outrage." However, as criticism intensified, including from several senior Republicans, the White House later attempted to distance Trump from the video, highlighting that it had been removed once the issue was identified.
