Trump Won't Apologise For Video On Barack, Michelle Obama, Says 'Didn't Make A Mistake'

Last Updated:February 07, 2026, 08:29 IST

The one-minute video, uploaded late Thursday night, remained online for nearly 12 hours before it was deleted, sparking a row.

US President Donald Trump won’t apologise after a video shared from his Truth Social account showing former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama depicted as apes went viral. The small clip triggered widespread outrage before being removed.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday, Trump said he had only watched the opening part of the clip and was unaware of the offensive segment. He added that staff members usually review the full content before posting.

“I saw the beginning which talked about alleged voting machine fraud. I passed it on and assumed it had been checked," Trump said. Rejecting calls for an apology, he insisted he had done nothing wrong and claimed he reviews a large amount of material daily.

“I didn’t make a mistake. I mean, I look at thousands of things," he said.

The one-minute video, uploaded late Thursday night, remained online for nearly 12 hours before it was deleted. The clip used manipulated images placing the Obamas’ faces onto ape bodies and repeated unproven claims about the 2020 election. It was accompanied by the song The Lion Sleeps Tonight and quickly spread across social media.

White House Removes Video

A White House official later said a staff member had mistakenly posted the video, and it was removed once discovered.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt initially described it as an “internet meme video" before it was taken down amid criticism from lawmakers across parties.

Reaction

The video drew condemnation from both Democrats and Republicans, including Trump allies. Senator Tim Scott, the only Black Republican in the Senate, called the post racist and urged the President to delete it.

“Praying it was fake because it’s the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House. The President should remove it," Scott wrote in a post on X.

News world Trump Won't Apologise For Video On Barack, Michelle Obama, Says 'Didn't Make A Mistake'

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