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 advised ABC Information’ “This Week” co-anchor Jonathan Karl.
Lawler, who was one of many first Republicans to criticize Trump over the submit on Friday, mentioned 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 advised 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 a variety of — 1000’s of issues,” Trump mentioned. “And I regarded firstly of it, it was positive.”
Requested if he condemned the racist portion of the video, Trump mentioned, “After all I do.”
Trump’s submit included claims of debunked 2020 election conspiracies earlier than the Obamas’ faces seem close to the tip on the our bodies of apes abruptly and briefly with out clarification with the track “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 in all Trump’s staunchest allies, was one of many first outstanding 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 individuals to talk out. I do not suppose he was engaged in pretend outrage,” Lawler mentioned.
“I believe the overwhelming majority of People acknowledge that that sort of images, and making an attempt to, you realize, examine, the primary Black president to a gorilla or a monkey, is insensitive, it is offensive, it is racist,” Lawler mentioned.
He added, “Whether or not it was intentional or a mistake, the very fact is it is improper. And we must always all simply be capable to acknowledge that and transfer ahead.”
Listed here are extra highlights from Lawler’s interview:
On experiences Trump requested for Penn Station and Dulles Worldwide Airport named for him
Karl: We discovered that President Trump advised Chuck Schumer, the Senate chief, that he can be prepared to unfreeze $16 billion in funding for a serious infrastructure venture in New York and New Jersey if the president — if Schumer had been prepared to endorse the concept of renaming Penn Station — and, by the way in which, Dulles Airport — after Donald Trump. How how is that OK?
Lawler: I’ve been towards 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 important infrastructure venture was frozen throughout that shutdown, wherein everything 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 any person.’ 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 important infrastructure venture is. I care that it will get performed. And finally in my, from my vantage level, you realize, work it out. These guys have been in, in, recognized one another for roughly 50 years. You understand, this goes again a very long time from my vantage level.
On a bipartisan immigration answer
Lawler: Look, this is a matter that I have been targeted on for years. You understand, for 40 years, we’ve not solved our immigration disaster. The American individuals had been rightly outraged by what occurred below the Biden administration, the place you had over 10.5 million migrants cross our border, most of them illegally. You understand, porous southern border wanted to be shut down, President Trump did that. The very fact is that we’ve had 9 straight months of net-zero unlawful border crossings. You’ve got had 675,000 individuals deported, 1.9 million individuals self-deport, lots of these people, felony aliens or individuals who have been concerned within the felony justice system, the American individuals overwhelmingly assist that. However what they do imagine, in the event you’ve been on this nation, proper or improper, for 5, ten, 15, 20 years, your youngsters and your grandchildren are Americans, individuals do not need 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 individuals to return out of the shadows in order that they will work legally, that they will pay their taxes, pay any again taxes owed, pay a positive, not accumulate 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 individuals on this nation who’re undocumented. You are not rounding all of them up and kicking them out. It’s not life like.
