Speaking in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro convicted President Donald Trump for posting a video of his ex President Barack Obama and his wife, Michellelike monkeys.
Earlier in the day in South Carolina Senator Tim Scottthe only Black Republican in the Senate, asked the president to remove the post, “praying it’s false because it’s the most racist thing I’ve ever seen in this White House. The president should remove it.”
Shapiro, who was in the state’s largest city to announce the expansion of the Steamfitters Local 420 training center, was asked if he had seen the post and his response.
“I actually agree with Sen. Tim Scott that this is racist,” the governor said. “The idea that anyone could post a video like this, let alone the president of the United States, someone who should find a way to unite us, someone who should speak to our better angels.
“This guy always seems to find less and less of a common denominator,” he continued. “Here in Pennsylvania, we respect all people, no matter what they look like, where they come from, who they love, who they pray to or who they choose not to pray to. We do not scapegoat others, and we certainly do not spread racist videos or other racist statements like this president. He needs to do better.”
Trump’s Thursday post, posted at 11:44 p.m. EST, depicts the former president and first lady as monkeys in a video meme depicting Trump as the king of the jungle. Portraying Black people as apes is a centuries-old trope used to dehumanize and humiliate people.
White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt stated: “This comes from an internet meme depicting President Trump as the king of the jungle and Democrats as characters from a movie [T]he The Lion King.
It’s worth noting that there were no monkey characters in The Lion King.
“Even if it was a Lion King meme, a reasonable person would see it as a racist context,” he said Senator Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.). “The White House should do what anyone who makes a mistake does: remove it and apologize.”
“This is completely unacceptable,” he said Senator Roger Wicker (Virgo). “The president should remove it and apologize.”
Shapiro said Pennsylvania was founded by William Penn as a heated and amiable place for everyone.
“The President’s behavior once again unfortunately calls this into question, but we will not let him win on this matter. We will appeal to our better angels. We will do the right thing here. We will not allow ourselves to be dragged into the depths that this President seems to reach every day.”
“Can someone explain to me how I should tell my daughter that the person who posts racist videos is our president and deserves respect?” Pennsylvania wrote. Lt. Governor Austin Davis on social media. “I’m really struggling as a parent. He has shown us who he is over and over again. People should believe him.”
And Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Joanna McClinton (Delaware/Philadelphia) also condemned the post on social media.
“The president’s behavior on Truth Social last night is outrageous by any measure, but made worse because the person responsible for publishing the disgusting content is the leader of this country.”
The post was deleted around noon EST on Friday.
“A White House staffer misplaced this post. It has been removed.”
Very few employees have access to the president’s Truth Social account.
NOTE: PoliticsPA will not share the post on its website.
Updated to include comments from Davis and McClinton.
