President Donald Trump has defended sharing a racist video on Truth Social without apologizing, blaming a staffer for overlooking its offensive content. The video promoted 2020 election fraud conspiracies and ended with derogatory images of the Obamas. Separately, a federal judge ruled that his administration cannot block funding for a major Hudson River tunnel project between New York and New Jersey.
President Donald Trump addressed the controversy over a racist video he shared on his Truth Social platform during a conversation on Air Force One en route to Florida. The post, made late at night, amplified content validating his views but included an ending clip superimposing the faces of former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama onto apes. Trump claimed he only viewed the initial portion, which focused on alleged 2020 election fraud in Michigan—though he mistakenly recalled it as concerning Georgia—and instructed aides to share it without reviewing the full video.
'I guess toward the end of it, there was some kind of a picture that people don't like. I wouldn't like it, either. But I didn't see it,' Trump said. The White House removed the post after 12 hours, following intense backlash from Democrats and Republican lawmakers who demanded an apology. Trump dismissed the need for one, stating he made no mistake, would not fire anyone involved, and described himself as 'the least racist president you've had in a long time.'
This incident ties into broader efforts by Trump's administration to challenge the 2020 election results. Last week, it dispatched the director of national intelligence to Georgia's Fulton County, where the FBI seized ballots. Trump has also proposed nationalizing election administration in certain Democratic-led areas, raising alarms among state officials about federal overreach, as such matters are constitutionally state responsibilities.
In a separate development, a federal judge ruled on Friday that the administration cannot halt funding for the Gateway tunnel project, a massive infrastructure initiative linking New York City and New Jersey under the Hudson River. Reports suggested Trump might release the funds if Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer supported renaming Penn Station and a Washington-area airport after him. Trump referenced Schumer proposing the Penn Station change, but Schumer denied it on X, calling it an 'absolute lie.' The White House cited concerns over diversity, equity, and inclusion provisions in contracts as the holdup reason, though critics viewed it as retaliation against New York Democrats.
