Trump shifts blame to aide over racist video of Obamas and refuses to apologise
Donald Trump has shifted responsibility to a staff member after a racist video depicting Barack and Michelle Obama was briefly shared on his social media account, while insisting he would not apologise for the incident.
The Trump racist video, which was later deleted, showed the former president and first lady portrayed as cartoon apes set to music from The Lion Sleeps Tonight. The clip appeared as part of a longer video promoting conspiracy theories about the 2020 election and quickly sparked widespread criticism.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said he had approved the initial portion of the video but handed it to staff to be posted without reviewing it in full. He claimed the offensive segment was uploaded in error and said the post was removed once the issue was brought to his attention.
Trump maintained that he would not dismiss the aide involved and rejected calls to apologise, saying he did not believe he had made a mistake. His comments followed earlier statements from the White House that initially downplayed criticism before later saying the video had been shared mistakenly by a staffer.
The episode triggered speculation within Trump’s circle over who was responsible for publishing the clip. Only a small number of aides have access to his social media accounts, and advisers privately debated whether the decision rested with Trump himself or one of his close communications aides.
The White House declined to provide further clarification, though Trump repeated the claim of staff error in conversations with senior Republican lawmakers. Some party figures publicly condemned the video, describing it as racist and inappropriate.
The removal of the post marked a rare reversal for Trump, who has often stood by controversial statements and online content in the past. Earlier in the day, administration officials had dismissed the backlash as exaggerated before changing course.
The incident has renewed scrutiny of Trump’s communications operation and the role of aides who manage his messaging. Despite internal criticism, advisers indicated that the controversy was unlikely to result in disciplinary action, reflecting Trump’s continued loyalty to senior staff members close to him.
