‘President Trump should apologize’: U.S. Rep. Mike Turner responds to racist social media post

The White House initially defended the post, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt calling the backlash “fake outrage,” but after calls for its removal including Republican politicians it was taken down by noon on Friday, with the blame placed on an unnamed staffer.

In a tweet Friday afternoon, Turner, who is a Republican, said that although he doesn’t “feel the need to respond to every inflammatory statement made by the White House,” releasing the racist images of the former president and first lady is “offensive, heart breaking, and unacceptable.”

“President Trump should apologize,” he concluded.

Turner’s response drew its own reply in a statement from the Dayton Branch of the NAACP.

Branch president Dr. Derrick L. Forward wrote that they are “relieved” to see Turner take a stance against the racist images.

“His clear condemnation of this hateful and degrading video demonstrates that even in a time of division, we can still unite against bigotry,” Forward wrote.

However, he said, Turner should continue to use his platform to address harmful rhetoric, saying, “We commend his denunciation of this specific incident, but we also call for ongoing efforts to tackle systemic racism and ensure that our leaders, regardless of party, hold themselves accountable for fostering unity, dignity, and respect for all.”