United States President Donald Trump has defended his decision to share a controversial video depicting former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes, insisting he did nothing wrong despite widespread condemnation.
Trump made the remark on Friday amid growing backlash over the video, which was posted on his Truth Social platform and widely described by critics as racist and offensive. The clip, which included AI-generated imagery, quickly sparked outrage across political and civil rights circles in the United States and beyond.
Reacting to the criticism, Trump maintained that the video was not shared in error and dismissed accusations of racism, arguing that his opponents were deliberately misinterpreting the content to score political points.
The video, which circulated briefly before being taken down, formed part of a larger compilation reiterating Trump’s unsubstantiated claims about irregularities in the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
Democrats, civil rights groups and some Republicans condemned the imagery, describing it as deeply offensive and inappropriate, particularly as it surfaced during Black History Month. Critics said the video reinforced harmful racial stereotypes and undermined democratic values.
Despite the backlash, Trump has continued to reject responsibility, framing the controversy as another example of what he described as unfair media attacks against him as the 2024 election cycle intensifies.
The Obamas have not publicly responded to the incident.
