New York Republican Rep. Mike Lawler reiterated his criticism of President Donald Trump on Sunday after a post from Trump final week included a racist animation of former President Barack Obama and former first girl Michelle Obama depicted as apes.
“I believe typically in our public discourse it’s best to simply say, ‘I am sorry,'” Lawler instructed ABC Information’ “This Week” co-anchor Jonathan Karl.
Lawler, who was one of many first Republicans to criticize Trump over the submit on Friday, stated that he’s taking the White Home at its phrase that the submit was a “mistake” made by a staffer. Lawler added that whoever initially created the meme “is an fool.”
Requested on Friday if he would apologize for the video, Trump instructed reporters he would not.
Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., seems on ABC Information’ “This Week” on Feb. 8, 2026.
ABC Information
“No, I did not make a mistake. I imply, I take a look at loads of — 1000’s of issues,” Trump stated. “And I seemed at the start of it, it was high quality.”
Requested if he condemned the racist portion of the video, Trump stated, “After all I do.”
Trump’s submit included claims of debunked 2020 election conspiracies earlier than the Obamas’ faces seem close to the top on the our bodies of apes abruptly and briefly with out clarification with the tune “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” taking part in over it. White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt initially blasted criticism of the video as “pretend outrage” earlier than the White Home later blamed it on a staffer and deleted the submit about 12 hours after it went on-line.
GOP Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, one among Trump’s staunchest allies, was the primary distinguished Republican to name out the president, calling the submit “probably the most racist factor I’ve seen out of this White Home.”
“I believe Tim Scott clearly was one of many first folks to talk out. I do not suppose he was engaged in pretend outrage,” Lawler stated.
“I believe the overwhelming majority of Individuals acknowledge that that kind of images, and attempting to, you realize, evaluate, the primary Black president to a gorilla or a monkey, is insensitive, it is offensive, it is racist,” Lawler stated.
He added, “Whether or not it was intentional or a mistake, the very fact is it is unsuitable. And we should always all simply have the ability to acknowledge that and transfer ahead.”
Listed below are extra highlights from Lawler’s interview:
On stories Trump requested for Penn Station and Dulles Worldwide Airport named for him
Karl: We realized that President Trump instructed Chuck Schumer, the Senate chief, that he could be prepared to unfreeze $16 billion in funding for a serious infrastructure venture in New York and New Jersey if the president — if Schumer have been prepared to endorse the thought of renaming Penn Station — and, by the best way, Dulles Airport — after Donald Trump. How how is that OK?
Lawler: I’ve been in opposition to freezing the funds. However how did we get right here? Chuck Schumer determined, final fall to close the federal government down for 43 days. And because of this, this essential infrastructure venture was frozen throughout that shutdown, wherein the whole lot of the federal authorities, you realize, was depleted of funds. I do know there have been quite a few conversations between the president and Senator Schumer to attempt to resolve this.
Karl: I imply, he is holding the cash hostage for having these items named after him. I imply, this isn’t like a part of a, ‘Let’s honor someone.’ He desires it named after himself and he is saying he’ll unfreeze the cash if they will do it.
Lawler: Jon, on the finish of the day to me, I actually may care much less what the title of a constructing is. A essential infrastructure venture is. I care that it will get executed. And in the end in my, from my vantage level, you realize, work it out. These guys have been in, in, identified one another for roughly 50 years. , this goes again a very long time from my vantage level.
On a bipartisan immigration resolution
Lawler: Look, this is a matter that I have been targeted on for years. , for 40 years, we now have not solved our immigration disaster. The American folks have been rightly outraged by what occurred beneath the Biden administration, the place you had over 10.5 million migrants cross our border, most of them illegally. , porous southern border wanted to be shut down, President Trump did that. The actual fact is that we now have had 9 straight months of net-zero unlawful border crossings. You’ve got had 675,000 folks deported, 1.9 million folks self-deport, lots of these of us, legal aliens or individuals who have been concerned within the legal justice system, the American folks overwhelmingly assist that. However what they do imagine, in the event you’ve been on this nation, proper or unsuitable, for 5, ten, 15, 20 years, your youngsters and your grandchildren are Americans, folks do not wish to see households damaged aside.
And so there’s bought to be a authorized path ahead, not a path to citizenship, however a authorized path ahead for folks to return out of the shadows in order that they’ll work legally, that they’ll pay their taxes, pay any again taxes owed, pay a high quality, not acquire authorities advantages, and never commit against the law that’s the foundation of the Dignity Act, in order that we will truly begin to clear up a disaster that has been in impact for 40 years. We now have over 25 million folks on this nation who’re undocumented. You are not rounding all of them up and kicking them out. It’s not sensible.
