White House Removes Racist Trump Post Depicting Obamas as Apes After Backlash
WASHINGTON - The White House removed a social media post shared by former President Donald Trump on Friday that contained racist imagery depicting former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes. The post, which included footage from an "internet meme video," drew immediate condemnation from Democrats and Republicans alike, prompting the White House to take it down.
According to a White House official, a staffer "erroneously made the post." White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt initially defended the video, stating it was part of a meme that portrayed Trump as the "King of the Jungle" and Democrats as characters from the Lion King. However, the video's racist depiction of the Obamas as apes led to widespread criticism.
Republican lawmakers also condemned the video. Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, the only Black Republican in the Senate, called the video "the most racist thing I've seen out of this White House" and urged Trump to remove it. He added, "Praying it was fake."
Trump, speaking on Air Force One, claimed he "didn't see" the racist imagery. He stated he only viewed the beginning of the video, which focused on alleged voter fraud. "I just looked at the first part," he said, suggesting a staffer was responsible for posting the video to his Truth Social account. "I didn't see the whole thing. I guess during the end of it, there was some kind of a inaudible that people don't like. I wouldn't like it either, but I didn't see it."
In other news, authorities are investigating a new message related to the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie. The Pima County Sheriff's Department and the FBI announced they are "inspecting the information provided in the message for its authenticity." Nancy Guthrie, 84, went missing last weekend, and authorities believe she was abducted from her Arizona home. Investigators are conducting follow-up at her home and surrounding areas.
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