United States President Donald Trump has rejected criticism over a video he briefly shared on his Truth Social platform that portrayed former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes.
Addressing journalists aboard Air Force One on Friday, Trump said he did not commit any error by reposting the clip and maintained that he had no reason to apologise for his action.
According to him, his attention was drawn only to the opening section of the video, which he claimed focused on alleged irregularities involving voting machines used in the 2020 presidential election.
“I didn’t make a mistake. I didn’t watch the entire video. I only saw the first part talking about voter fraud and how corrupt the system is, then I shared it,” Trump said.
Responding to questions on whether he condemned the offensive portrayal in the video, the president said he did not support such content.
The video, which appeared on his page late Thursday before it was removed, promoted a long-discredited conspiracy theory about election fraud and included a racially offensive depiction of the former first family.
The incident highlights ongoing concerns about the use of social media by political leaders and the impact of sharing unverified or offensive content. While Trump has denied wrongdoing, the episode reinforces the need for greater responsibility and scrutiny in public communication, especially on sensitive issues of race and democracy.
