Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Feb 7: US President Donald Trump on Friday deleted a controversial social media post that depicted former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as primates, following sharp criticism from both Republicans and Democrats who condemned the video as racist and offensive.

Despite the backlash, Trump said he would not apologise for the post. “I didn’t make a mistake,” he told reporters later in the day.

The post, shared late Thursday night on Trump’s Truth Social account, was taken down by Friday noon. The White House said the video had been posted “erroneously” by a staffer, a rare acknowledgment of fault that came hours after press secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed criticism as “fake outrage.”

The 62-second clip largely featured claims of voting machine tampering during the 2020 US presidential election—allegations that have been repeatedly rejected by courts and officials. Near the end of the video, a brief scene showed jungle primates with the Obamas’ faces superimposed. The footage reportedly originated from a separate meme video circulated earlier by a conservative content creator.

Leavitt said the clip was part of an internet meme portraying Trump as “King of the Jungle” and Democratic leaders as animals. However, the post drew swift condemnation, including from prominent Republicans. Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, the only Black Republican in the US Senate, called the post “the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House” and urged its removal. Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi termed it “totally unacceptable” and said Trump should apologise.

Civil rights leaders and Democrats also reacted strongly. Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Yvette Clarke said she did not accept the White House’s explanation and accused Trump of fostering a “toxic and racist climate.” NAACP President Derrick Johnson described the video as “utterly despicable.”

The controversy erupted during the first week of Black History Month, days after Trump issued a proclamation praising the contributions of Black Americans. An Obama spokeswoman said the former president had no response to the incident.

The episode has renewed scrutiny of Trump’s use of social media, which he has frequently employed to make policy announcements, attack rivals and promote unverified claims. Questions have also been raised about how posts on his account are vetted and who controls them.