US President Donald Trump said he had not made a mistake after a racist social media post depicting former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as primates was deleted following widespread backlash. The post, shared on Trump’s Truth Social account, drew condemnation from civil rights leaders and members of both major political parties for targeting the nation’s first Black president and first lady.

The White House said the video had been posted in error by a staffer, a rare admission of a misstep amid mounting criticism. The deletion came hours after press secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed public anger over the post as “fake outrage,” before Republican lawmakers and advocacy groups joined Democrats in calling for its removal. Trump later declined to apologize, telling reporters, “I didn’t make a mistake.”

The now-deleted clip appeared during a burst of overnight posts amplifying Trump’s false claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen, despite repeated court rulings and findings by his own former attorney general that there was no evidence of widespread fraud. Nearly all of the video originated from a conservative production alleging election interference, with a brief segment showing jungle primates bearing the Obamas’ faces.

Also Read: Piyush Goyal Says India-US Interim Agreement Opens $30 Trillion Market

The post surfaced during the first week of Black History Month, days after Trump issued a proclamation praising the contributions of Black Americans. An Obama spokeswoman said the former president had no response. The White House explanation raised questions about oversight of Trump’s social media accounts, which he has used for policy announcements, trade threats, and political attacks.

Criticism was swift and unusually bipartisan. Senate Republicans, including Tim Scott of South Carolina and Roger Wicker of Mississippi, called the post racist and unacceptable, with Wicker urging an apology. NAACP President Derrick Johnson described the video as “utterly despicable,” while the Congressional Black Caucus chairwoman, Yvette Clarke, said she did not accept the White House’s account blaming a staffer.

Civil rights figures and commentators noted the long history in the United States of racist portrayals associating Black people with animals. Trump has previously faced criticism for inflammatory language, including promoting false claims about Obama’s birthplace and making derogatory remarks about predominantly Black countries and immigrants, episodes that continue to shape reactions to his rhetoric as president.

Also Read: India-US Seal Interim Trade Framework with 18% Tariff Cut and $500 Billion Target