In an try to dismiss criticisms that calling U.S. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar and Somali immigrants “rubbish” wasn’t racist or discriminatory, President Donald Trump made a casual comment about Black People and “scams.”
Whereas delivering remarks at a Tuesday evening rally to tout his financial insurance policies and focus on “affordability” in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, Trump accused Democrats of turning Pennsylvania right into a “dumping floor for a whole bunch of hundreds of migrants from probably the most dysfunctional locations on earth, like Somalia, and gave them billions and billions of your taxpayer {dollars}. However we didn’t actually give it. It was stolen. And people individuals ought to go to jail.”
Trump and the White Home have escalated their anti-immigration rhetoric in latest weeks following the taking pictures of Nationwide Guardsmen in Washington, D.C., dedicated by an Afghan nationwide, in addition to a latest report about a number of dozen Somalis in Minnesota committing fraud with COVID-19 funds. The Trump administration has used these headline-grabbing moments to recommend that its strict immigration enforcement ought to be scaled up.
“It’s a rip-off. And it’s headed up by the crooked congresswoman,” the president mentioned of Omar, additionally seemingly referring to Minnesota. He continued, “She mentioned, ‘How dare you say that about me? It’s discrimination.’”
Trump then switched gears to speaking about Black People extra broadly.
“Let me let you know, Black individuals love Trump. I obtained the largest vote,” mentioned the president, seemingly referring to his elevated share of assist from Black voters within the 2024 presidential election.
“I obtained the largest vote with Black individuals. They know a rip-off higher than anyone. They know…what it’s to be scammed,” he added.
Whereas Trump notably elevated his assist amongst Black voters within the 2024 election, from 8% to fifteen%, based on Pew Analysis, an amazing majority of Black People supported Kamala Harris over Trump. What’s extra, Trump’s share of the Black vote, whereas probably the most in half a century for a Republican, is hardly as giant as that of earlier Republican presidents within the pre-New Deal period, when the Republican Social gathering garnered 30-70% of Black voters.
President Trump went on to say the nation has had “one of the best 10 months ever within the historical past of the presidency.” He argued, “For the primary time in 50 years, we now have reverse migration, which implies extra jobs, higher wages, and better revenue for Americans, not for unlawful aliens.”
U.S. Rep. Omar, whom Trump has repeatedly attacked in latest days, excoriated the president’s insults about her and different immigrants.
“Trump’s obsession with me is past bizarre. He wants critical assist. Since he has no financial insurance policies to tout, he’s resorting to regurgitating bigoted lies as an alternative. He continues to be a nationwide embarrassment,” the congresswoman wrote on X.
Regardless of his administration’s ramp-up of immigration enforcement, together with mass deportations, it has not resulted in improved financial circumstances for Black People. Since Trump took workplace for his second time period, the Black unemployment charge has steadily elevated to 7.5%, which is sort of double the nationwide charge and the very best because the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021.
Based on a report from the Heart on American Progress, Trump’s financial insurance policies, together with his world tariffs, are disproportionately harming Black People and Black companies.
What’s extra, Trump’s campaign in opposition to variety, fairness, and inclusion, or DEI, and cuts to the federal workforce and public schooling have resulted in job losses and threaten to slim pathways to financial and social mobility for Black People.
“MAGAnomics proceed to be a failure, and Trump’s financial system, by each measure, continues to be inferior. The general grade of his presidency continues to be a failure,” Democratic strategist Antjuan Seawright informed theGrio.
“Fact be informed, we’re now seeing the continued phases of a lame duck presidency by Donald Trump. We see fractures within the MAGA bone, and also you see of us keen to not solely take a stand.”
