Overview
- Pressed at the White House, the president said he has not fired or disciplined the unnamed staffer and described the clip as a long voter-fraud video with a brief “Lion King” segment that he called a “very strong piece.”
- He reiterated that he would not apologize and said the offensive snippet had been “all over the place for years,” while separately saying he condemns racist imagery.
- The post was deleted after roughly 12 hours as the White House shifted from calling it an internet meme to saying a staffer had “erroneously” posted it, with the staffer still not identified.
- Republicans and Democrats denounced the clip, with Sen. Tim Scott labeling it “the most racist” thing from the White House and GOP lawmakers reportedly urging its removal, while House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries issued a sharp rebuke.
- Seeking to counter the backlash, the president reposted videos highlighting his ties to Black public figures, as intraparty strain persisted with Scott publicly backing Sen. Susan Collins for reelection.