U.S. President Donald Trump has received significant criticism after a racist video depicting former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as monkeys in a jungle surfaced on social media. This controversial video, which aligned with unfounded claims of electoral fraud from the 2020 presidential election, was posted late Thursday night and remained available for nearly 12 hours before it was taken down. According to CNN, the White House stated that the video had been mistakenly released by a staff member.

In response to the controversy, Trump maintained that he only viewed the beginning of the video, which he claimed was acceptable, and did not see the offensive ending. He stated to reporters that he forwarded the post to a staff member for review, suggesting that "someone missed a very small part." Despite the uproar, Trump refused to apologize, insisting he had no part in the video's dissemination and implying that any oversight was minor.

This incident highlights the ongoing racial tensions and divisive political climate in the U.S., particularly as it relates to Trump's presidency. The refusal to acknowledge the racist elements of the video feeds into broader discussions about accountability and the role of social media in spreading harmful content. As this story unfolds, it raises questions about the ethical responsibilities of public figures and the implications of their actions on societal discourse.