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 woman Michelle Obama depicted as apes.
“I believe typically in our public discourse it’s best to only 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 put up on Friday, mentioned that he’s taking the White Home at its phrase that the put up 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 wouldn’t.
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 have a look at a whole lot of — hundreds of issues,” Trump mentioned. “And I appeared firstly of it, it was high quality.”
Requested if he condemned the racist portion of the video, Trump mentioned, “In fact I do.”
Trump’s put up 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 music “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 put up about 12 hours after it went on-line.
GOP Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, considered one of Trump’s staunchest allies, was the primary outstanding Republican to name out the president, calling the put up “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 mentioned.
“I believe the overwhelming majority of Individuals acknowledge that that kind of images, and attempting to, you understand, 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 actual fact is it is improper. And we must always all simply be capable of acknowledge that and transfer ahead.”
Listed here 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 keen to unfreeze $16 billion in funding for a serious infrastructure venture in New York and New Jersey if the president — if Schumer have been keen 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 essential infrastructure venture was frozen throughout that shutdown, through which everything of the federal authorities, you understand, was depleted of funds. I do know there have been quite a few conversations between the president and Senator Schumer to try to resolve this.
Karl: I imply, he is holding the cash hostage for having this stuff named after him. I imply, this isn’t like a part of a, ‘Let’s honor any individual.’ 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 might care much less what the title of a constructing is. A essential infrastructure venture is. I care that it will get performed. And in the end in my, from my vantage level, you understand, work it out. These guys have been in, in, recognized 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, now we 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 now we 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 consider, should you’ve been on this nation, proper or improper, 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 obtained to be a authorized path ahead, not a path to citizenship, however a authorized path ahead for folks to come back out of the shadows in order that they will work legally, that they will pay their taxes, pay any again taxes owed, pay a high quality, not accumulate authorities advantages, and never commit a criminal offense that’s the foundation of the Dignity Act, in order that we are able to really begin to resolve a disaster that has been in impact for 40 years. We’ve got 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 reasonable.
