Dwight McKissic, senior pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas, reposted Howerton and said, “Earlier this morning the president’s press secretary admitted it wasn’t a mistake, and told the American people to move on [past] the tweet.”
“It was only after more and more Republicans began to denounce the racist tweet did they then attempt to pass the blame on to some unnamed racist staffer,” McKissic said.
“The truth is the buck stops with the president. I’d really expected and hoped for a more transparent, honest denunciation of this blatant racism by the White House from you,” said McKissic. “What we got was blame shifting that contradicted the White House’s initial and honest response and attitude towards what took place.”
“I support many of the policies and decisions Trump has made. I do NOT support his inappropriate post about the Obamas,” said Christian YouTuber Troy Black. “The Obamas have done many things I disagree with, but they are still human beings made in God’s image with as much value as anyone else. I’m praying Jesus gets hold of Trump’s heart about this.”
Scholar and author Dr. Karen Swallow Prior called the video “wicked and unacceptable.”
“I see that this is somewhat more complicated. Apparently this image is from a separate video that autoplayed at the end of the video the president shared,” said pastor and professor Dr. James R. Wood. “I stand by the comment that this image is shameful. And add that the president needs to be more careful with what is shared.”
“Even if it was accidental, you cannot as president (or his team) allow that kind of racist bigotry to be present in any form of communication,” said Ben Hill, pastor of First Baptist Church in Georgetown, South Carolina. “You have to triple check stuff before you post. That video at the end is sick and wrong.”
Podcaster and apologist Alisa Childers responded to Dr. Russell Moore’s post, saying, “Look. I hated that Trump post too. Inexcusable. But do you want to know what is even more inexcusable, racist, deranged, and humiliating to our country?”
She continued, “That time you said this of Francis Collins: ‘The smartest friend I have…He has modeled for many of us what it means to love the Lord, to love neighbor, to love one’s enemies.’”
The Babylon Bee Managing Editor Joel Berry called the uproar over the video a “nothing burger.” He critiqued Moore as well and said the entire jungle video was “hilarious.”
