‘I Didn’t Make a Mistake’: Donald Trump Refuses to Apologize for Racist Post Depicting Barack Obama As Monkeys, Citing Staff Error (Watch Video)

US President Donald Trump on Friday declined to apologize for sharing a social media post that depicted former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as primates. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump distanced himself from the final contents of the video, attributing the post to a staffer’s oversight while maintains that he, personally, “didnt make a mistake.”

The controversy began late Thursday when a video was posted to Trump’s Truth Social account. The clip featured a meme portraying the President as "King of the Jungle" and the Obamas as monkeys in a jungle setting. While the White House initially defended the post as a parody involving The Lion King imagery, the video was deleted approximately 12 hours later following intense public and political outcry. White House Takes Down Racist Post About Barack and Michelle Obama Shared on Donald Trump’s Account, Cites Staff Error.

Addressing the incident, Trump claimed he had only viewed the beginning of the video, which he believed focused on his recurring allegations of voter fraud. “I looked at the first part, and it was really about voter fraud in the machines,” Trump said. “Then I gave it to the people. Generally, they look at the whole thing. But I guess somebody didn't.”

Despite the President's assertion that he condemns the video’s content, he remained firm in his refusal to issue an apology. When asked directly if he would apologize—as several members of his own party have suggested—Trump replied, “I didn’t make a mistake. I mean, I look at thousands of things.”

The post drew sharp rebukes from across the political spectrum. Republican Senator Tim Scott, a prominent Black lawmaker and frequent Trump ally, described the footage as "the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House" and stated he was "praying it was fake." Other GOP lawmakers reportedly reached out to the White House privately to urge the administration to distance itself from the imagery. Donald Trump Shares AI Video of Barack and Michelle Obama as Apes.

‘I Didn’t Make a Mistake’

Critics noted that the incident follows a long history of racially charged rhetoric from the President. Trump was a leading proponent of the "birther" conspiracy theory regarding Barack Obama and has recently faced backlash for comments regarding Somali immigrants and other minority groups.

The White House has since confirmed that the post was made "erroneously" by a staff member. Mark Burns, a pastor and vocal Trump supporter, stated that the President told him a staffer was responsible for the upload, adding that he believed the individual involved should be terminated. The incident has renewed scrutiny over the vetting process for the President’s social media presence, which continues to serve as a primary, yet often unfiltered, channel for administration communication.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 07, 2026 11:56 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).