The White House said President Donald Trump was unaware of the disputed content before it was posted and directed that it be taken down once informed.

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom

President Donald Trump did not view a controversial video posted to his Truth Social account before it went live and ordered its removal after learning it contained imagery widely criticized as racist, according to a source familiar with the matter.

The video, which primarily focused on allegations of voter fraud, briefly included an auto-played clip from an unrelated post depicting former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes. The clip appeared as part of a broader meme that portrayed various political figures as different animals.

A White House source told Just the News that the president was not aware the unrelated clip was embedded in the video and directed staff to remove the post once its content was brought to his attention. The administration also defended the overall post as a meme drawing from popular culture imagery, including references to The Lion King, though it acknowledged the inclusion of the disputed clip prompted immediate action.

The video sparked swift backlash from lawmakers across the political spectrum, including from members of Trump’s own party. Some Republicans publicly condemned the imagery and urged the president to take it down.

Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., called on Trump to remove the post, saying he hoped the clip was not authentic. “Praying it was fake because it’s the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House. The President should remove it,” Scott wrote in response to a screenshot of the video circulating online.

The video was later removed from Truth Social. White House officials emphasized that the president does not condone racist depictions and acted promptly once made aware of the issue, according to the source.