Black Men and Donald Trump: Why?

By John R. Gray, Banning Homes Projects, San Pedro

A truly curious phenomenon has been taking place in the months running up to the 2024 election, and that is the surge in Black men choosing to support Donald Trump, when there was far less support for him amongst this same demographic in the last two elections. Within the Republican party itself, some Black politicians have chosen to support Trump, most notably South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott. What are the goals and opinions of those Black men who support Trump? Why would any of them believe that he would represent their best interests when he has shown himself to be an opportunist bigot several times before, during, and after his presidency? 

It is expressed on Donald Trump’s websites that Black voters know that Trump will deliver on promises made to the Black community. These sites claim that the Trump administration raised wages for Black people, enacted criminal justice reform, and more. However, one has to remember that any criminal reform Trump enacted (pardoning rappers such as Lil Wayne) was not comprehensive efforts at truly reforming the many flaws in the criminal justice system, such actions were only aimed at garnering more support for his administration and future political campaigns. Donald Trump does not represent the interests of Black people ensnared in the criminal justice system whatsoever. Do not forget that this same man took out full-page ads in New York newspapers calling for the execution of the Central Park Five, young men of color who were accused of rape, only to be exonerated with DNA evidence later. He does not care about Black men or the community in general.

Some Black men feel disillusioned with the Democratic Party, believing that the party makes false promises to garner the support of the Black community, keeping them tied to a party that does not have their best interests in mind. While there may be some truth to the Democratic Party relying on the Black vote without any reciprocity towards the community, it must be understood that Donald Trump and the Republican Party do not even truly think about Black people in the slightest. They make no promises to the community at all, and Trump has only tried to relate to Black people in this recent campaign by conflating his legal troubles to the historic and continuing racist targeting of the Black community by the criminal justice system. Black men should find no joy or camaraderie in this, as Trump essentially tells the Black community that he is targeted in the same way they are when he has never, ever faced the racism and discrimination that has backed American society’s consistent targeting of Black males as criminals or potential criminals.

Black men, Donald Trump does not in any way represent your interests nor the interests of the community. Remember that this man referred to countries such as Haiti, where fellow Black men reside, as “shithole countries,” while praising majority-white countries in Europe as where he wishes more immigrants would come from. Remember that he had and continues to have the backing of various white supremacist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan, The Proud Boys, and more; all the while not rejecting such backing in any way at all, speaking of white supremacists in Charlottesville who attacked people of color as “very fine people.” Trump uses Black men to present himself as a non-racist when his actions and words have clearly proven otherwise. He seeks to make the country great again, only to take everything back to a time when Black men could not even ride in the front of a city bus. Trump is not an ally, he is not a friend to the Black community, he is a white supremacist who presents himself as a friend, but will stab all Black people in the back the first chance he gets. Do not fall for the con, Black men, stay alert and remember that Trump only sees you fit to be political pawns, and would sooner have you cleaning his bedpan than consider you his equal.