Donald Trump refused to apologize after his Fact Social account posted a racist clip depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes, arguing that he wasn’t the one who made the error.
The president addressed the controversy whereas talking with reporters on Air Drive One on Friday, the place he admitted that he hadn’t watched the controversial video in its entirety earlier than giving his staff the go-ahead to put up it on Fact Social.
“I checked out it,” Trump mentioned. “I noticed it — and I simply regarded on the first half. It was about voter fraud in someplace. Georgia. There was a whole lot of voter fraud, 2020 voter fraud. And I didn’t see the entire thing.”
He continued: “I suppose throughout the finish of it, there was some type of an image that folks don’t like. I wouldn’t prefer it both, however I didn’t see it. I simply regarded on the first half and it was actually about voter fraud.”
As Trump went on, he mentioned that he handed the video on to his folks, who he defended “usually take a look at the entire thing.”
“However, I suppose, any person didn’t and so they posted it,” the president added. “We took it down as quickly as we came upon about it.”
When grilled by reporters on whether or not he deliberate to difficulty an apology, Trump famous point-blank: “No, I didn’t make a mistake. I imply, I take a look at quite a bit. Hundreds of issues.”
Trump’s protection echoed what White Home Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt shared earlier on Friday. “That is from an Web meme video depicting President Trump because the King of the Jungle and Democrats as characters from ‘The Lion King,’” Leavitt mentioned in an announcement. “Please cease the faux outrage and report on one thing right now that truly issues to the American public.”
Nonetheless, the Fact Social put up wasn’t the one contentious speaking level the president addressed on Air Drive One. Particularly, Trump additionally laid right into a feminine Washington Put up reporter after she prompt that MAGA supporters felt the administration was focusing solely on deportation.
“Effectively, you’re having a tough time getting readers. Washington Put up is doing very poorly,” Trump snapped. “You have got a really dangerous angle. Go forward.”
Trump’s dig got here mere days after he confronted backlash for accusing CNN’s Kaitlan Collins of “not smiling” when she requested him questions concerning the Epstein Recordsdata.
Trump has a historical past of utilizing misogynistic language towards feminine reporters. His latest assaults have included using “nasty,” “piggy,” “horrible,” “ugly” and “incapable.”
Watch Trump’s full alternate with the press corps above.
