Shapiro condemns Trump’s post of ‘racist’ video

Speaking in Philadelphia Friday, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro condemned President Donald Trump for the posting of a video depicting former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, as apes.

Earlier in the day, South Carolina’s Sen. Tim Scott, the lone Black Republican in the Senate, asked the president to take down the post, “praying it was fake because it’s the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House. The President should remove it.”

Shapiro, who was in the state’s largest city to announce the expansion of Steamfitters Local 420’s training center, was asked if he had seen the post and his response.

“I actually agree with Senator Tim Scott that it’s racist,” said the governor. “The idea that anyone would post a video like that, let alone the President of the United States, someone who’s supposed to find ways to bring us together, someone who’s supposed to appeal to our better angels. 

“This guy seems to always find a lower and lower 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 don’t scapegoat others, and we certainly don’t peddle in racist videos and other racist statements like this President has made. He needs to do better.”

Trump’s Thursday post, made at 11:44 p.m. ET, depicts the former President and First Lady as apes in an AI meme video portraying Trump as King of the Jungle. Black people being depicted as apes or monkeys is a centuries-old trope used for dehumanization and humiliation.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed, “This is from an internet meme video depicting President Trump as the King of the Jungle and Democrats as characters from [T]he Lion King.”

It should be noted that there were no ape characters in The Lion King.

“Even if this was a Lion King meme, a reasonable person sees the racist context to this,” said Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.). “The White House should do what anyone does when they make a mistake: remove this and apologize.”

“This is totally unacceptable, said Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.). “The president should take it down and apologize.” 

Shapiro said that Pennsylvania was founded by William Penn as a place that would be warm and welcoming for all.

“The President’s conduct once again, unfortunately, erodes that but we’re not going to let him win on that. We’re going to appeal to our better angels. We’re going to do the right thing here. We’re not going to get sucked down into the depths that this President seems to reach for every day.”

“Can someone please explain to me how I’m supposed to tell my daughter that the person who posts racist videos is our president and worthy of respect?,” wrote Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis on social media. “I’m really struggling as a parent. Over and over again he has shown us who he is. Folks should believe him.”

And Pennsylvania Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton (D-Delaware/Philadelphia) also condemned the post on social media.

“The President’s behavior on Truth Social last night is outrageous by any standard but made worse because the person responsible for posting the vile content is this country’s leader.”

At around noon ET on Friday, the post was taken down. 

“A White House staffer erroneously made the post. It has been taken down.”

Very few staffers have access to the President’s Truth Social account.

NOTE: PoliticsPA will not share the post on its website.

Steve Ulrich is managing editor of Politics PA.