“Look, I’m going to say something I don’t say very often. And that’s okay to admit, because nobody’s perfect. Nobody. Especially not me. Only God is perfect.

I messed up. It was my account, my post, and I take responsibility for that. Twelve hours is too long. It should’ve never gone up.

Barack Obama and I have had our disagreements — everybody knows that, that’s politics, that’s how it goes. But he is a former President of the United States, and you have to respect the office. I demand respect for the office, so I have to give it too. That’s only fair. And I didn’t do that.

And Michelle — you don’t go after a man’s wife. My own wife has been mocked and treated terribly, so I know how that feels. It’s wrong no matter who does it.

That video was offensive. And I don’t get to say I didn’t watch the whole thing. My name was on it. That means I have to be more careful, not less.

To President Obama, to Mrs. Obama, to Black Americans who were hurt by this — I apologize. I mean that.

But here’s what I also want to say. We’ve got serious work to do. There are brave people in Iran risking their lives in the streets for freedom. There are innocent Ukrainians and, frankly, innocent Russians too, who are suffering because of a war that never should have happened. There are people all over the world who need American leadership to bring about peace, real peace, and I want to get back to doing that.

No one is perfect — especially me — only God is. But I can do better and I’m going to focus on what matters: bringing people together and saving lives.

Thank you.”