Donald Trump has declined to apologize for sharing a social media video that included a racist depiction of former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes. Speaking to reporters on Air Force One on Friday, Trump stated he had only viewed the initial portion of the video before it was posted and insisted he "didn't see" the offensive clip, according to multiple news sources. The video, which has since been deleted, also promoted conspiracy theories about the 2020 election.
The video, approximately 62 seconds long, was shared on Trump's social media platform late Thursday night. The racist imagery was spliced near the end of the video and set to the song "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." According to ABC News, when asked if he condemned the racist part of the video, Trump responded, "Of course I do." However, he maintained he would not apologize.
This incident marks the latest instance of Trump promoting offensive imagery and slurs, according to the NY Times. The video's initial segment focused on debunked claims regarding voter fraud in Georgia during the 2020 election, as reported by NY Times. Trump's sharing of the video prompted immediate criticism and calls for an apology.
The BBC World reported that Trump said he "didn't make a mistake" when asked about apologizing. He added that he had only seen the beginning of the video before it was posted by a staff member and was unaware of the racist content.
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