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President Trump hosted a Black History month reception at the White House on Wednesday. Trump highlighted top Black administration officials, and he rejected accusations of racism after a staffer posted a controversial video on his Truth Social app.

The president is pictured above with White House Pardon Czar, Alice Marie Johnson, whose federal life sentence was commuted by Trump in 2018.

He was greeted with applause and cheers from the crowd that included Black community leaders and lawmakers gathered in the East Room of the White House.

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During the reception, Trump embraced an emotional Forlesia Cook, a Washington D.C. grandmother who lost her grandson to violence.

Cook praised Trump and she dismissed allegations that he is racist.

“I love [Trump]. I don’t want to hear nothing you’ve got to say about that racist stuff. And don’t be looking at me on the news hating on me because I’m standing up for somebody that deserves to be stand up for,” she said as the crowd cheered.

“Get off the man’s back. Let him do his job. He’s doing the right thing. Back up off of him! And grandma said it!”

Pool via CNP / MEGA

The reception came nearly two weeks after a video clip posted on Trump’s app sparked furious backlash online.

The video clip showed an AI-generated image of former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes.

Pool via CNP / MEGA

Senator Tim Scott, a Republican from South Carolina, called the video “The most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House.”

However, the White House shrugged off the video as an “Internet meme,” and criticized the “fake outrage”.

Trump said he didn’t see the video clip depicting the Obamas as apes. He said a staffer who posted it didn’t watch the video all the way to the end.