US President Donald Trump has declined to apologise after a controversial video shared from his social media account depicted former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes, a post that drew sharp criticism from both Republicans and Democrats.

The video, which remained online for hours before being deleted, triggered widespread outrage and renewed questions about oversight of the president’s digital communications.

Trump Says He Didn’t Watch Entire Clip

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday, Trump said he had only viewed part of the video before it was posted to his Truth Social account.

“I didn’t see the whole thing. I looked at the first part, and it was really about voter fraud in the machines,” he said, adding that he later passed it along for posting. “Generally, they look at the whole thing. But I guess somebody didn’t.”

When asked whether he would apologise, Trump rejected the suggestion. “I didn’t make a mistake. I mean, I look at thousands of things,” he said.

Earlier, the White House had attributed the post to a staff error.

Video Stayed Online for Hours Before Removal

The one-minute clip was uploaded late Thursday and remained visible for nearly 12 hours before being taken down amid mounting criticism from across the political spectrum.

Trump later said it was removed “as soon as we found out about it,” but by then the video had already spread widely online.

The footage combined manipulated imagery of the Obamas’ faces placed onto primates in a jungle setting and repeated unsubstantiated claims about Dominion Voting Systems and the 2020 election. It was set to the song The Lion Sleeps Tonight.

A White House official later told NBC News that “a White House staffer erroneously made the post.”

Initially, press secretary Karoline Leavitt had described the upload as an “internet meme video” before the administration moved to delete it following growing backlash.

Republicans Join Democrats in Condemnation

The reaction was swift, and unusually bipartisan.

Senator Tim Scott, the only Black Republican in the Senate, called the video racist and urged its removal, writing that it was “the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House.”

Senator Susan Collins echoed the criticism, calling the post “appalling.”
New York Congressman Mike Lawler, considered politically vulnerable ahead of reelection, said the content was “incredibly offensive” and called for an apology.

Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker described the post as “totally unacceptable,” while other Republicans facing competitive races also voiced concern, an uncommon break from the party’s typical unity around Trump.

White House Blames Staffer, Questions Remain

The administration said a subordinate posted the video in error, but the explanation has raised questions about who controls the president’s social media accounts. Trump frequently uses his platform to make policy announcements, threaten action, and comment on political rivals.

Prominent Trump supporter and pastor Mark Burns said he spoke directly with the president and advised him to fire the staffer and publicly condemn the incident, calling the video “wrong, offensive, and unacceptable.”

Congressional Black Caucus Chair Yvette Clarke said she did not accept the White House’s explanation, arguing the episode reflects a broader “toxic and racist climate.”

Civil Rights Leaders and Public Figures Respond

Civil rights organisations also condemned the video. NAACP President Derrick Johnson called it “utterly despicable.”

Rev. Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., responded by reaffirming the dignity of Black Americans, writing that they “are not apes.”

At a Black History Month market in Harlem, vendor Jacklyn Monk described the post as embarrassing, saying it was disturbing regardless of when it occurred.

The timing drew additional attention, as the incident came during the first week of Black History Month, just days after a presidential proclamation praising the contributions of Black Americans.

Part of Broader Election Claims and Past Controversies

The post was among several late-night uploads amplifying Trump’s continued false claims that the 2020 election was stolen, despite repeated court rulings and findings by officials, including members of his own administration, that there was no evidence of widespread fraud.

Trump has a long history of personal attacks against Barack Obama, including previously promoting the false claim that the former president was not born in the United States.

An Obama spokesperson said the former president had no response to the latest controversy.