CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Hammers Trump Over ‘Naked Racism’ — Calls BS on Explanation

CNN anchor and senior White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins hammered President Donald Trump over the “naked racism” of a now-deleted social media post, and called BS on the explanations being given.

Trump posted a video to his Truth Social account at 11:44 PM on Thursday night that contains an image depicting President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes:

The post drew widespread outrage including from Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), who called it “the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House.”

Trump White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the post in a statement:

“This is from an internet meme video depicting President Trump as the King of the Jungle and Democrats as characters from the Lion King. Please stop the fake outrage and report on something today that actually matters to the American public.”

But after 12 hours or so, the post was deleted, with an unnamed White House official claiming “A White House staffer erroneously made the post. It has been taken down.”

On Friday night’s edition of CNN’s The Source with Kaitlan Collins, Collins teed up the story by noting it was racist, “Even in a political career that started with a racist conspiracy theory.”

She also expressed skepticism over the president’s responses to reporters on Air Force One:

COLLINS: Even in a political career that started with a racist conspiracy theory, what we saw from President Trump today was outrageous. The naked racism shared on his own account, last night, stands out even among the depths of social media.

What differs tonight from other moments, when the President has said, written, or shared, racist or offensive things, is the response coming from his own party. And given that response, it became quite clear inside the White House that their usual response of defiance or laughing it off wasn’t going to work this time.

Let me fill you in. Shortly before midnight, a video that was posted to the President’s personal Truth Social account included this image at the end, depicting the Obamas as apes. Now, despite how obviously racist and ugly that is, and how many people quickly pointed that out, it would go on to be more than 12 hours before it was ultimately removed.

Initially, we heard from the White House press secretary, actually defending it. In a statement to CNN this morning, Karoline Leavitt said, quote, “This is from an internet meme video depicting President Trump as the King of the Jungle and Democrats as characters from the Lion King.” Leavitt said, “Please stop the fake outrage and report on something today that actually matters to the American public.”

But the backlash continued to grow, with Republicans condemning that post, and calling on the White House to remove it, and some of them even saying that they should apologize.

And shortly after her defense, from Leavitt, it was actually taken down and removed from the President’s pages. A senior White House official subsequently told CNN that a White House staffer erroneously made the post.

And then, this evening, while facing questions from multiple reporters on Air Force One, about this, the President offered this explanation, but no apology.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) TRUMP: I looked at it. I saw it, and I just looked at the first part. It was about voter fraud in someplace, Georgia. There was a lot of voter fraud, 2020 voter fraud. And I didn’t see the whole thing. I guess during the end of it, there was some kind of a — people don’t like. I wouldn’t like it either, but I didn’t see it. I just, I looked at the first part, and it was really about voter fraud in — and the machines, how crooked it is, how disgusting it is.

Then I gave it to the people to — generally, they’d look at the whole thing, but I guess somebody didn’t, and they posted, and we took it down and we did it, you know. But that was a voter fraud that nobody talks about. They don’t like to talk about that post. We took it down as soon as we found out about it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: It’s not clear it was as soon as they found out about it, because people were criticizing it for hours this morning before it was ultimately removed.

Now, for congressional Republicans, this was a rare moment where they didn’t claim to not see the post or say that they don’t respond to the President’s tweets. Instead, there was condemnation that came in loud and clear. Words like, Wrong, Offensive, Inexcusable and, yes, Racist.

One Republican voice stood out from the chorus. It is the sole Black Republican in the Senate, Tim Scott. He wrote, Praying it was fake because it’s the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House. The President should remove it.

Now, you note there, he says, The most racist, indicating that there have been previous incidents. Some of those, we know, Senator Scott has criticized the White House for before, including when the President reposted a video of someone who was yelling, White power. Senator Scott called that, Indefensible. When Trump told Democrats, certain Democrats, to go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came. Senator Scott said, that was racially offensive.

And after the President’s, Very fine people on both sides, comments, Senator Scott said this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARGARET BRENNAN, “FACE THE NATION WITH MARGARET BRENNAN” MODERATOR, CBS: After Charlottesville, you said the President is not a racist, but he is racially insensitive.

SEN. TIM SCOTT (R-SC): Yes.

BRENNAN: Is that still what you believe?

SCOTT: Absolutely. Yes, the President is not a racist. But is he racially insensitive? I think the answer is yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP) COLLINS: Now, it shouldn’t just be on Senator Tim Scott to condemn these posts and call them out for what they are. Yet his voice certainly resonates when he does, especially within the West Wing.

When the President was asked tonight about that post. Not just why it was posted, and how it was removed, and who did it. He was also asked whether or not he’ll apologize for what he said, and he made clear in his answer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REPORTER: Mr. President, a number of Republicans are calling on you to apologize for that post. Is that something you’re going to do?

TRUMP: No, I didn’t make a mistake.

I am, by the way, the least racist president you’ve had in a long time as far as I’m concerned.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Watch above via CNN’s The Source with Kaitlan Collins.

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