Washington — Republican officials sharply criticized President Trump after he shared a video that included images editing former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama onto apes’ bodies. The White House removed the post following widespread backlash, but the condemnation from GOP lawmakers continued.
Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, the only Black Republican in the Senate, was among the first to call for the video’s removal. “Praying it was fake because it’s the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House,” he wrote, adding that the president should take the post down.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt initially defended the footage, describing it as part of an “internet meme video” that framed Mr. Trump as “King of the Jungle” and Democrats as Lion King-style characters. Later, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Mr. Trump said he had “just looked at the first part” of the clip and did not notice the images of the Obamas. “I guess during the end of it, there was some kind of a picture that people don’t like,” he said. “I wouldn’t like it either, but I didn’t see it.”
Several Republican senators and representatives urged a prompt removal and apology. Sen. Pete Ricketts of Nebraska said a reasonable viewer would recognize the racist implications even if the post was meant as a meme and called on the White House to “remove this and apologize.” Rep. Mike Lawler of New York called the post “wrong and incredibly offensive,” and Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi labeled it “totally unacceptable.”
A White House official said a staffer had “erroneously made the post.” After its removal Friday afternoon, more Republicans voiced dismay. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine called the images “appalling,” and Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska said he was glad the post had been taken down.
Other GOP criticism included Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama, who said the video “should have never been posted to begin with, and is not who we are as a nation,” and Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas, who called it “racist and offensive and not who we are as a nation.” Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana said the post “sent the wrong message despite how it may have been originally intended.” Sen. John Curtis of Utah described it as “blatantly racist and inexcusable” and said it should not have remained published.
Rep. Mike Turner of Ohio said the images were “offensive, heart breaking, and unacceptable” and urged an apology from the president. Rep. John James of Michigan, who defended Mr. Trump as “not racist,” said he was nevertheless “shocked and appalled” and relieved the material was removed. Rep. Burgess Owens, a Black Republican from Utah, called the imagery “wildly offensive and inappropriate” and said it “never should have been shared or even created.” Rep. French Hill of Arkansas said he was pleased to see the post taken down and stressed that “racism and dehumanizing rhetoric have no place in our country. Every American deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.”