US President Donald Trump has removed a social media video which included a racist clip depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes.
The clip - set to the song The Lion Sleeps Tonight - was at the end of a 62-second video containing claims about voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election.
Republican Senator Tim Scott - who is black - called for the president to remove the post, describing it as 'the most racist thing I've seen out of this White House'.
The White House initially defended the clip as an 'internet meme video' and told critics to 'stop the fake outrage'.
The clip appears to be taken from an X post shared by conservative meme creator Xerias in October and depicts several other high-profile Democrats as animals.
Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden, was also depicted as an ape eating a banana.
The Obamas have yet to comment on the video, which sparked a fierce backlash including criticism from within Trump's Republican Party.
Senator Scott, an ally of Trump, said he was 'praying it was fake' and insisted that the President remove the post.
Other notable criticisms came from New York representative Mike Lawler, who labeled it 'wrong and incredibly offensive'.
Although the White House sprayed the incident with dismissive comments, a subsequent statement indicated a staffer had 'erroneously' made the post, prompting its removal.
Critics have condemned Trump for attempting to deflect attention from pressing issues such as economic problems and the ongoing Epstein case.
The platform's algorithm also faced scrutiny for allowing such a post to go viral, with major implications for political dialogue and responsibility.
Ultimately, the backlash over the video showcases the fine line public figures must tread when incorporating humor addressing sensitive and racial issues.
