There is an obvious strain, a disconnect, between former President Donald Trump and the African American community. It wasn’t that way in 2016, so what happened? Today, he either seems to be mad at us, or he has decided to ghost us completely.
In his first campaign, Trump seemed to be interested, at least from a peripheral perspective, in issues related to the African American community. He seemed to have advisers telling him how important it was to appeal, woo and pay attention to the African American community. Apparently, he listened. Omarosa Manigault Newman, the Diamond and Silk team, Alveda King and minister Darrell Scott were the usual African American entourage who often flanked Trump in demographically targeted pictures. Some of these images may have been authentic relationships and some of them may have been window-dressing, but a consistent attempt was made to show that he had connections to our community.
Fast-forward to the 2024 campaign. There are very few African Americans on his campaign team. We have not seen him campaigning at African American venues and conventions — except one.
One of Trump’s biggest debacles was his comments at the National Association of Black Journalists. For African Americans watching the interview, it was uncomfortable, painful and embarrassing. We saw Trump come into our space, among our people, and repeatedly disrespect us. There was no playbook on how to put up guard rails around him when he incessantly interrupted the interviewer and was nonresponsive to questions. Rachel Scott from ABC seemed defenseless from his scathing comments toward her.
Another debacle, also at the NABJ convention, was the “Is she Black?” message, referring to Vice President Kamala Harris, whose mother is from India and whose father is from Jamaica. We held our breath when similar allegations were lodged at former President Barack Obama. But today, the page in this playbook is obsolete as so many people reject such allegations. While the race-baiting tactics might have appealed to some in Trump’s base, it will backfire at the ballot box with the African American community.
Then there was the offensive meme put out by Trump’s campaign earlier this month that showed two neighborhoods: one “under Trump” and one “under Harris.” Black and brown migrants filled the “neighborhood” under Harris.
Discourse in a campaign is often sharp, offensive and rude, but it should never be overtly racist in imagery or tone. These tactics only serve to further divide us and inject suspicion, resentment and bitterness in an already volatile situation. Inflammatory memes and statements aren’t serving Trump’s campaign — or the country.
Despite all this, Trump could yet improve his relationship with the African American community in a few ways.
He worked with the presidents of historically Black colleges and universities when he was president. He knows that Howard University is an HBCU, and he knows Harris went to Howard University. He should stop questioning the vice president’s race and tell his staff and supporters to stop as well.
He can tout his appointment of Dr. Benjamin Carson as secretary of Housing and Urban Development during his administration. He can weigh in on the death of Sonja Massey, the African American woman who was shot in the face by a police officer in Springfield, Illinois. He can redeploy some of his African American advocates from 2016. (May Diamond of Diamond and Silk rest in peace.)
And, of course, he could focus on policies that could improve the lives of African Americans. One such issue is raising the minimum wage. It currently remains at $7.25 and was last adjusted in 2009. Building infrastructure and offering incentives to first-time homebuyers, as Harris proposes to do, would also benefit African Americans. In addition to demonstrating interest in our community, these policies could also lift many to the middle class.
The election is just a little more than 10 weeks away, and excitement is building for the Harris-Walz candidacy. But by authentically aligning himself with our interests and demonstrating his humanity, Trump can still garner African Americans’ support.
The Rev. Theresa A. Dear is a national board member of the NAACP and a Deseret News contributor.