Donald Trump, the President of the United States, has a history of making racially-charged remarks and pursuing racially-motivated actions and policies that have led observers across the political spectrum to conclude that he is racist.[1][2][3][4] In 1973, he was sued by the U.S. Department of Justice for housing discrimination against black renters.[5][6][7] In 2011, Trump became the leading proponent of the already discredited "Birtherism" conspiracy theory that President Barack Obama was not born in the US, and he repeated the claim for the following five years.[8][9] In 2016, he was accused of racism for insisting in 1989, and maintaining as late as 2016, that a group of black and Latino teenagers were guilty of raping a white woman in the 1989 Central Park jogger case even after, in 2002, Matias Reyes, a serial rapist in prison, confessed to raping the jogger alone, and DNA evidence confirmed his guilt.[10][11][12]
Trump launched his 2016 presidential campaign with a speech in which he said that Mexican immigrants included criminals and rapists.[13][14] Later, his comments about a Mexican-American judge were criticized as racist. He tweeted fake statistics claiming that black Americans are responsible for the majority of murders of whites, and in speeches he continually linked blacks with violent crime.[15] During his presidency, comments he made following a Charlottesville, Virginia rally were seen by many as implying a moral equivalence between violence used by white supremacist marchers and violence used by those who protested against them. In 2018, comments he made during an Oval Office meeting about immigration in which he referred to African countries, El Salvador and Haiti as "shithole countries" were internationally condemned as racist.[16][17][18] Trump has repeatedly denied that he is racist; he has said that he is the "least racist person there is".[19]
Trump's racially insensitive statements[20] have been condemned by many observers in the U.S. and around the world,[21][22] but excused by his supporters either as a rejection of political correctness[23][24] or because they harbor similar racial sentiments.[25][26] Numerous studies and surveys have shown that since Trump's ascendance in the Republican Party, racist attitudes and racial resentment have become more significant than economic factors in determining voters' party allegiance.[26][27] According to an October 2017 Politico/Morning Consult poll, 45% of American voters think Trump is racist and 40% don't.[28]
In 1973 Donald Trump, his father Fred, and Trump Management were sued by the U.S. Department of Justice for housing discrimination against black people.[5] The impetus for the suit was Trump's refusal to "rent apartments in one of his developments to African-Americans", violating the Fair Housing Act. A settlement was reached in 1975 with no admission of wrongdoing.[29] The Trump Organization was sued again in 1978 for violating terms of the 1975 settlement; Trump denied the charges.[30][31][32]
The Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino was fined $200,000 in 1991 by the New Jersey Casino Control Commission for removing black and female employees from craps tables in order to accommodate high roller Robert LiButti, a mob figure and alleged John Gotti associate, who was said to fly into fits of racist rage when he was on losing streaks.[33] There is no indication that Trump was questioned in that investigation, he was not held personally liable, and he denies even knowing what LiButti looked like.[33] In 1992 Trump Plaza lost its appeal of the decision.[34]
On the night of April 19, 1989, Trisha Meili was assaulted, raped, and sodomized in Manhattan's Central Park. On the night of the attack, five juvenile malesfour African Americans and one of Hispanic descentwere apprehended in connection with a number of attacks in Central Park committed by around 30 teenage perpetrators. The defendants were tried variously for assault, robbery, riot, rape, sexual abuse, and attempted murder relating to Meili's attack and the other attacks in the park. Based solely on confessions that they said were coerced and false, and despite the fact that DNA tests on the rape kit excluded them as the source, they were convicted in 1990 by juries in two separate trials. Known as the Central Park Five, they received sentences ranging from 5 to 15 years. The attacks were highly publicised in the media.[35]
On May 1, 1989, Trump called for the return of the death penalty by taking out a full-page advertisement in all four of the city's major newspapers. He said he wanted the "criminals of every age" who were accused of beating and raping a jogger in Central Park "to be afraid".[36] Trump told Larry King on CNN: "The problem with our society is the victim has absolutely no rights and the criminal has unbelievable rights" and "maybe hate is what we need if we're gonna get something done."[37]
In 2002, Matias Reyes, a serial rapist already in prison, confessed to the jogger's rape, which was confirmed by DNA evidence,[38] and the convictions of the five men were vacated. They sued New York City in 2003 for malicious prosecution, racial discrimination, and emotional distress. Lawyers for the five defendants said that Trump's advertisement had inflamed public opinion.[36] Protests were held outside Trump Tower in October 2002. Trump was unapologetic, saying, "I don't mind if they picket. I like pickets."[36] The city settled the case for $41million in 2014. In June of that year, Trump called the settlement "a disgrace" and said that the group's guilt was still likely: "Settling doesn't mean innocence. [...] These young men do not exactly have the pasts of angels."[39][40]
In October 2016, when Trump campaigned to be president, he said that Central Park Five were guilty and that their convictions should never have been vacated,[41] attracting criticism from the Central Park Five themselves[42] and others. Republican Senator John McCain retracted his endorsement of Trump, citing in part "outrageous statements about the innocent men in the Central Park Five case".[43] Yusuf Salaam, one of the five defendants, said that he had falsely confessed out of coercion, after having been mistreated by police while in custody.[44] Filmmaker Ken Burns, who directed the documentary The Central Park Five, called Trump's comments "the height of vulgarity" and racist.[10]
In his 1991 book Trumped! John O'Donnell quoted Trump as saying:
"Black guys counting my money! I hate it. The only kind of people I want counting my money are short guys wearing yarmulkes.... Those are the only kind of people I want counting my money. Nobody else... Besides that, I tell you something else. I think that's guy's lazy. And it's probably not his fault because laziness is a trait in blacks."
At the time, Trump did not contest the veracity of the quote, and in an interview in 1997 admitted that the information in the book was "probably true". Two years later, when seeking the nomination of the Reform Party for president, he denied making the statement.[45]
Trump played a leading role in "birther" conspiracy theories that had been circulating since President Obama's 2008 presidential campaign.[46][47] Beginning in March 2011, Trump publicly questioned Obama's citizenship and eligibility to serve as president.[48][49][50] Even after Obama released his long-form birth certificate in 2011, Trump claimed the certificate was a fraud in 2012, and later in 2013 and 2015 he said he did not know where Obama was born. In September 2016 Trump acknowledged that Obama was born in the United States; at the same time claiming it was Hillary Clinton who originally raised questions about Obama's place of birth.[51]
In 2013, the State of New York filed a $40million civil suit against Trump University alleging that the company had made false statements and defrauded consumers.[52][53] Two class-action civil lawsuits were also filed naming Trump personally as well as his companies.[54] During the presidential campaign, Trump criticized Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel who oversaw those two cases, alleging bias in his rulings because of his Mexican heritage.[55][56] Trump said that Curiel would have "an absolute conflict" due to his Mexican heritage which led to accusations of racism.[57] Speaker of the House and a Trump supporter, Republican Paul Ryan commented, "I disavow these comments. Claiming a person can't do the job because of their race is sort of like the textbook definition of a racist comment. I think that should be absolutely disavowed. It's absolutely unacceptable."[58]
In August 2016 Trump campaigned in Maine, which has a large immigrant Somali population. At a rally he said, "We've just seen many, many crimes getting worse all the time, and as Maine knows a major destination for Somali refugees right, am I right?" Implying terrorism, Trump said, "Well, they're all talking about it, Maine. Somali refugees. [...] You see it, and you can be smart, and you can be cunning and tough, or you can be very, very dumb and not want to see what's going on, folks."[59]
In Lewiston, home to the largest population of Maine Somalis, the police chief said Somalis have integrated into the city and they have not caused an increase in crime; crime is actually going down, not up. The mayor said Lewiston is safe and they all get along. At a Somali support rally following Trump's comments the Portland mayor welcomed the city's Somali residents, saying, "We need you here." Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins commented, "Mr. Trump's statements disparaging immigrants who have come to this country legally are particularly unhelpful. Maine has benefited from people from Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and, increasingly, Africa including our friends from Somalia."[59][60]
On Friday, January 27, 2017, via executive order, President Trump ordered the U.S border indefinitely closed to Syrian refugee families fleeing the bloody Syrian war. He also abruptly ceased immigration from six other Muslim nations - the order was for 90 days. A religious test was also implemented for Muslim refugees, which gave immigration priority to Christians over Muslims. Besides Syria, admission into the U.S. was halted for refugees from Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. Human rights activists described these actions as government approved religious persecution.[61][62]
The New York Times reported that in a June 2017 Oval Office meeting, President Trump reacted angrily to the number of immigrants who were allowed visas to enter the United States since January and that he made some derogatory comments. President Trump reportedly said 2,500 visa holders from Afghanistan were from a terrorist sanctuary. According to two anonymous officials at the meeting Trump stated that 15,000 from Haiti "all have AIDS", and forty thousand from Nigeria will decide to never "go back to their huts" after seeing the United States. Senior staff members repoprtedly told the president most of these were one time visitors but that this did not quell his indignation. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House press secretary, denied that Trump had made such remarks stating, "General Kelly, General McMaster, Secretary Tillerson, Secretary Nielsen and all other senior staff actually in the meeting deny these outrageous claims."[63][64]
In a February 2017 presidential press conference, White House press correspondent April Ryan asked Trump if he would involve the Congressional Black Caucus when making plans for executive orders affecting inner city areas. Trump replied, "Well, I would. I tell you what. Do you want to set up the meeting?" When Ryan said she was just a reporter, Trump pursued, "Are they friends of yours?" The New York Times wrote that Trump was "apparently oblivious to the racial undertones of posing such a query to a black journalist". Journalist Jonathan Capehart commented, "Does he think that all black people know each other and she's going to go run off and set up a meeting for him?"[65]
In March 2017, six members of the Congressional Black Caucus met with President Trump to discuss the caucus's reply to Trump's campaign-rally question to African Americans, "What do you have to lose?" (by voting for him). The question was part of Trump's campaign rhetoric that was seen as characterizing all African Americans in terms of helpless poverty and inner-city violence.[66] According to two people who attended the March meeting, Trump asked caucus members if they personally knew new cabinet member Ben Carson and appeared surprised when no one said they knew him. Also, when a caucus member told Trump that cuts to welfare programs would hurt her constituents, "not all of whom are black", [67] the president replied, "Really? Then what are they?", although most welfare recipients are white.[67] The caucus chairman, Rep. Cedric Richmond, later said the meeting was productive and that the goals of the caucus and the administration were more similar than different: "The route to get there is where you may see differences. Part of that is just education and life experiences."[68]
The U.S. Department of Justice concluded that Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio oversaw the worst pattern of racial profiling in U.S. history.[69] The illegal tactics that he was using included "extreme racial profiling and sadistic punishments that involved the torture, humiliation, and degradation of Latino inmates".[70] The DoJ filed suit against him for unlawful discriminatory police conduct. He ignored their orders and was subsequently convicted of contempt of court for continuing to racially profile Hispanics. Calling him "a great American patriot", President Trump pardoned him soon afterwards, even before sentencing took place.[71][72][73] House Speaker Paul Ryan, and both Arizona Senators, John McCain and Jeff Flake, were critical of Trump's decision.[74][75][76] Constitutional scholars also opposed the decision to grant the pardon, which according to Harvard law professor Noah Feldman was "an assault on the federal judiciary, the constitution and the rule of law itself". The American Civil Liberties Union, which was involved in the case resulting in Arpaio's conviction, tweeted: "By pardoning Joe Arpaio, Donald Trump has sent another disturbing signal to an emboldened white nationalist movement that this White House supports racism and bigotry." According to ACLU deputy legal director Cecilia Wang, the pardon was "a presidential endorsement of racism".[77]
The Unite the Right rally (also known as the Charlottesville rally) was a far-right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, from August 1112, 2017.[78][79] Its stated goal was to oppose the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee from Emancipation Park.[80][81] Protesters included white supremacists, white nationalists, neo-Confederates, Klansmen, neo-Nazis, and various militias. Some of the marchers chanted racist and antisemitic slogans, carried semi-automatic rifles, swastikas, Confederate battle flags, anti-Muslim and antisemitic banners, and "Trump/Pence" signs.[81][82][83] Many of the protesters and counterprotestors carried shields and sticks, and both protesters and counterprotesters were "swinging sticks, punching and spraying chemicals", forcing police to declare 'unlawful assembly' and disperse the crowds.[84] Two hours after the dispersal order, a woman was killed and 35 other people injured when a self-professed neo-Nazi drove his car into a group of people gathered at a nearby mall who had been protesting against the rally.[85]
In his initial statement on the rally, Trump did not denounce white nationalists but instead condemned "hatred, bigotry, and violence on many sides". His statement and his subsequent defenses of it, in which he also referred to "very fine people on both sides", suggested a moral equivalence between the white supremacist marchers and those who protested against them, buoying white nationalists leading some observers to state that he was sympathetic to white supremacy.[82]
Ten days after the rally, in prepared remarks at an American Legion conference, Trump called for the country to unite. He said: "We are not defined by the color of our skin, the figure on our paycheck or the party of our politics. Rather, we are defined by our shared humanity, our citizenship in this magnificent nation and by the love that fills our hearts."[86]
In 2012, controversy arose when it was charged that Senator Elizabeth Warren had used a claim of Native American ancestry early in her career to gain hiring preference.[87] Warren denies that she ever claimed to be a minority to secure employment, and a review of her employment history and interviews of her past employers has been unable to find anything that supports the charge.[88] However, picking up on the controversy Trump has frequently referred to her as "Pocahontas", including at a White House event where he addressed Native American veterans who served in the US military during World War II.[89] Warren responded saying, "It was deeply unfortunate that the President of the United States cannot even make it through a ceremony honoring these heroes without throwing out a racial slur."[90] Speaking on the PBS Newshour, Mark Shields commented, "When Donald Trump uses Pocahontas to attack or taunt one senator, Elizabeth Warren. This, quite frankly, is beyond that. I mean, this is racial. It's racist. It is."[91]The General Secretary of the Alliance of Colonial Era Tribes, John Norwood, said Trump's Pocahontas nickname for Warren "smacks of racism." The president of the National Congress of American Indians, the largest umbrella group for Native American tribes, also criticized Trump's remarks at the event, saying, "We regret that the presidents use of the name Pocahontas as a slur to insult a political adversary is overshadowing the true purpose of todays White House ceremony."[92] White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said "What most people find offensive is Senator Warren lying about her heritage to advance her career."[93][94]
In an intelligence briefing on hostages held by a terrorist group in Pakistan, Trump repeatedly interrupted the briefing to ask an Asian-American intelligence analyst who specializes in hostage situations "where are you from?" After she told him she was from New York he asked again and she clarified that she was from Manhattan. He pressed with the question until she finally told him that her parents were Korean. Trump then asked one of his advisers why "the pretty Korean lady" was not negotiating for him with North Korea.[95][96][97] NBC News characterized this exchange as Trump having "seemed to suggest her ethnicity should determine her career path".[98] Vox suggested that when Trump refused to accept New York as an answer he is "saying that children of Asian immigrants can never truly be 'from' America. This isn't just simple bigotry; it feels like a rejection of the classic American 'melting pot' ideal altogether."[16]
In January 2018, Trump received widespread domestic and international condemnation for comments he made during a January 11 Oval Office meeting about immigration in which he referred to African countries, El Salvador, and Haiti as "shithole countries". Saying, "Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?", he suggested that instead the US increase immigration from Norway.[99][100][17]
In a statement issued on January 11, the White House did not deny that the president made the remarks, but on the following day Trump did tweet out a partial denial, saying that he "never said anything derogatory about Haitians", and denied using "shithole" specifically to refer to those countries but did admit to using "tough language".[101][99]
Senate minority whip Dick Durbin, the only Democrat present at the Oval Office meeting, stated that Trump did use racist language and referred to African countries as "shitholes" and that "he said these hate-filled things, and he said them repeatedly."[102]
Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen testified under oath to the Senate regarding the incident. She said she did not "specifically remember a categorization of countries from Africa." Asked about the President's language, Neilsen said, "I don't remember specific words", while remembering "the general profanity that was used in the room by almost everyone" but not Dick Durbin. Later on during the questioning, Nielsen said, "I remember specific cuss words being used by a variety of members," without elaborating on what was said and by whom.[103]
Republican Senators Tom Cotton of Arkansas and David Perdue of Georgia, also present at the meeting, initially issued a joint statement stating that they "do not recall the President saying those comments specifically".[104] Later, both senators denied that Trump had said "shithole". Purdue said Trump "did not use that word ... The gross misrepresentation was that language was used in there that was not used,"[105] and Cotton said, "I didn't hear it, and I was sitting no further away from Donald Trump than Dick Durbin". Cotton elaborated that he "did not hear derogatory comments about individuals or persons", and went on to affirm with the interviewer that the "sentiment [attributed to Trump] is totally phony".[106] Meanwhile, The Washington Post reported that Cotton and Purdue told the White House they heard "shithouse" rather than "shithole".[107]
Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) stated that Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), present at the meeting, had confirmed that Trump indeed called El Salvador, Haiti and "some African nations" "shithole countries".[108] Graham refused to confirm or deny hearing Trump's words, but rather released a statement in which he said, "[I] said my piece directly to [Trump]."[109] In what was interpreted as a response to Cotton and Purdue, Graham later said, "My memory hasn't evolved. I know what was said and I know what I said," while also asserting "It's not where you come from that matters, it's what you're willing to do once you get here."[110] Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) said that the meeting participants had told him about Trump making those remarks before the account went public.[111]
Conservative columnist Erick Erickson said Trump had privately bragged to friends about making the remarks, thinking "it would play well with the base."[112] The Washington Post quoted Trump's aides as saying Trump had called friends to ask how his political supporters would react the coverage of the incident, and that he was 'not particularly upset' by the publication of the incident.[107]
There was "muted" response to these comments from Republican lawmakers.[8] Some of these lawmakers denounced the comments, calling them "unfortunate" and "indefensible", while others sidestepped or did not respond to them.[113] Some of the president's defenders, such as Vice President Mike Pence, remained silent on the issue. Senator Orrin Hatch said he was waiting for a "more detailed explanation regarding the president's comments".[114] House Speaker Paul Ryan said, "So, first thing that came to my mind was very unfortunate, unhelpful." Senator Susan Collins, who did not vote for Trump and has been very critical of him said, "These comments are highly inappropriate and out of bounds and could hurt efforts for a bipartisan immigration agreement. The president should not denigrate other countries." Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, the only Republican African-American in the Senate, called the comments "disappointing".[115] Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma used the word "disappointing" to describe the comments.[115] Representative Mia Love of Utah, who is of Haitian descent, tweeted that the comments were "unkind, divisive, elitist, and fly in the face of our nation's values", and later said they were "really difficult to hear, especially because my [Haitian immigrant] parents were such big supporters of the president.... there are countries that struggle out there but ... their people are good people and they're part of us."[116][117] Senator Jeff Flake wrote "The words used by the President, as related to me directly following the meeting by those in attendance were not 'tough', they were abhorrent and repulsive". Representatives Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Erik Paulsen also denounced the comments.[114]
When asked if he believed Senator Durbin's reporting of the incident, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer replied, "I have no doubts. First, Donald Trump has lied so many times, it's hard to believe him on anything, let alone this. I've known Dick Durbin for 35 years, [...] he is one of the most honorable people I've met." [118] Both House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer and civil rights leader Representative John Lewis said Trump's remarks confirm his racism.[119][120][121] Representative Jim McGovern, said, "America's president is a racist and this is the proof. His hateful rhetoric has no place in the White House."[115] Representative Tim Walz said, "This is racism, plain and simple, and we need to call it that. My Republican colleagues need to call it that too." Senator Richard Blumenthal said that Trump's comments "smack of blatant racism odious and insidious racism masquerading poorly as immigration policy".[122] Representative Karen Bass of California said "You (Donald Trump) would never call a predominantly white country a 'shithole' because you are unable to see people of color, American or otherwise, as equals."[115] Representative Bill Pascrell wrote on Twitter, "[Donald Trump is] showing his bigoted tendencies in ways that would make Archie Bunker blush" and called Trump a "national disgrace".[115]
A great deal of international response was generated in January 2018 following the allegations that Trump used vulgar and disparaging language when speaking about immigration from Africa, Haiti, and El Salvador.
Rupert Colville, a spokesman for the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, said at a news briefing, "There is no other word one can use but racist. You cannot dismiss entire countries and continents as 'shitholes', whose entire populations, who are not white, are therefore not welcome."[123]
The African Union issued a statement strongly condemning the remarks and demanding a retraction and apology; an AU spokeswoman said, "Given the historical reality of how many Africans arrived in the United States as slaves, [Trump's statement] flies in the face of all accepted behavior and practice. This is particularly surprising as the United States of America remains a global example of how migration gave birth to a nation built on strong values of diversity and opportunity."[124]
The Ministry of International Affairs of Botswana summoned the US ambassador, and said in a statement "We view the utterances by the current American President as highly irresponsible, reprehensible, and racist."[124] The African National Congress, the ruling party in South Africa, tweeted "its offensive for President Trump to make derogatory statements about countries that do not share policy positions with the US. Developing countries experience difficulties. The US also faces difficulties."[125] Mmusi Maimane, the leader of South Africa's opposition party, said "The hatred of Obama's roots now extends to an entire continent."[114]
Haiti's ambassador to the US said Haiti "vehemently condemn[ed]" Trump's comments, saying they were "based on stereotypes". Haiti's former Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe said, "It shows a lack of respect and ignorance never seen before in the recent history of the US by any President."[124]
It has been reported that the political rise of Donald Trump has inflamed racial, ethnic and religious tensions across the United States.[126] The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) recorded 867 "hate incidents" in the 10 days after the US election, a phenomenon it partly blamed on Trump's rhetoric. They consider the actual number of incidents to be much higher because most hate crimes go unreported. SPLC president Richard Cohen blamed the recent surge on the divisive language used by Trump throughout his campaign. In a statement he said:
In 2016, US Attorney General Loretta Lynch said FBI statistics for 2015 showed a 67% increase in hate crimes against Muslim Americans; hate crimes against Jewish people, African Americans and LGBT individuals increased as well. Lynch reported a 6% overall increase, though she said the number could be higher because many incidents go unreported. In New York City the number of hate crimes increased 31.5% in the year from 2015 to 2016. Mayor Bill de Blasio commented, "A lot of us are very concerned that a lot of divisive speech was used during the campaign by the President-elect, and we do not yet know what the impact of that will be on our country."[128]
The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) has reacted to what has been seen by many as Trump's repeated stirring of racial controversies. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, former head of the CBC, voiced concerns when Trump began raising doubts about President's Obama's birthplace: "I don't know if the people around the country understand that he has launched ... an assault against African-American people starting with his refusal to accept the first African-American president, by continuing to declare that he was from Kenya. No other president in history has had to face that kind of criticism. We've come to conclude that this is a part of his belief system."[129]
To show their protest, some lawmakers chose to not attend Trump's State of the Union message given on January 30, 2018. John Lewis did not attend saying, "I've got to be moved by my conscience," and Representative Barbara Lee, also not attending, said, "This president does not respect the office, he dishonors it." Representative Frederica Wilson, whom Trump called "wacky" after she supported the wife of a soldier killed in Niger, also did not attend.[130] Maxine Waters released a video response wherein she said, "He claims that he's bringing people together but make no mistake, he is a dangerous, unprincipled, divisive, and shameful racist.[131] Other black lawmakers attended wearing kente stoles as a show of support following Trump's "shithole" comments about African and other countries.[132]
Almost two-thirds of the CBC have backed efforts to impeach Donald Trump in House floor votes forced by Representative Al Green. The articles of impeachment put forth by Green assert that Trump has "brought the high office of president of the United States in contempt, ridicule, disgrace and disrepute" and "has sown discord among the people of the United States".[133]
Trump has repeatedly denied claims that he is racist, often stating that he is "the least racist person".[134][135] During the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Trump defended himself and his campaign from Hillary Clinton's accusations of racism, arguing that his immigration policies were not racist and stating "I will never apologize for pledging to enforce and uphold every single law of the United States, and to make my immigration priority defending and protecting American citizens above every other single consideration."[136]
Trump, responding to reporters' questions about racism said, "I am not a racist. I'm the least racist person you will ever interview".[137] Trump's son, Eric Trump, defended his father against allegations of racism, remarking that his father is concerned with the economy, citing improved economic conditions for African Americans. Eric Trump called his father "the least racist person" he has ever met.[138][139]
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders defended Trump from accusations of racism, by referring to his time as host of The Apprentice and saying, "Frankly, if the critics of the president were who he said he was, why did NBC give him a show for a decade on TV?"[140][141]
Former Speaker Newt Gingrich has stated that Trump's marriage to Slovenian model Melania Trump proves he is not "anti-immigrant", adding "He's just for legal immigrants".[142]
Following reports that Trump had reportedly called African countries "shitholes", speaking at the opening of the East African Legislative Assembly President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, said, "I love Trump because he tells Africans frankly. The Africans need to solve their problems, the Africans are weak."[143]
CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta said the Washington Post report combined with statements made in 2016 and 2017 shows "the president seems to harbor racist feelings about people of color from other parts of the world."[144][145]
Following the incident in which Trump referred to several nations as "shithole countries", David Brooks, speaking on the PBS Newshour, called the president's statements "clearly racist" and said, "It fits into a pattern that we have seen since the beginning of his career, maybe through his father's career, frankly. There's been a consistency, pattern of harsh judgment against black and brown people."[146]
Trump has been called a racist by a number of New York Times columnists including Nicholas Kristof ("I don't see what else we can call him but a racist"),[147] Charles M. Blow ("Trump Is a Racist. Period."),[148] and David Leonhardt ("Donald Trump is a racist").[149] Additionally, John Cassidy of The New Yorker concluded, "we have a racist in the Oval Office."[150]
Conservative pundit and former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele, when asked in an interview if he thought Trump was a racist replied, "Yeah, I do. At this point the evidence is incontrovertible."[151] Speaking on MSNBC, Steele said, "There are a whole lot of folks like Donald Trump. White folks in this country who have a problem with the browning of America. When they talk about [wanting] their country back, they are talking about a country that was very safely white, less brown and less committed to that browning process."[152]
Australian political commentator John Hewson writes that he believes the recent global movements against traditional politics and politicians are based on racism and prejudice. He comments: "There should be little doubt about US President Donald Trump's views on race, despite his occasional 'denials', assertions of 'fake news', and/or his semantic distinctions. His election campaign theme was effectively a promise to 'Make America Great Again; America First and Only' and nod, nod, wink, wink to Make America White Again."[153]
Presidential historian Douglas Brinkley said "What Trump is doing has popped up periodically, but in modern times, no president has been so racially insensitive and shown outright disdain for people who aren't white."[19]
George Yancy, a professor at Emory University known for his work on racial issues, concluded that Trump is racist, describing his outlook as "a case of unabashed white supremacist ideas."[1]
Speaking shortly after Trump's election, John Mcwhorter discussed the fact that 8% of black voters and around 25% of Latinos voted for Donald Trump, saying "many would see it as 'conservative' for a person of color to vote for a racist, as if it were still a time when racism was socially acceptable." In his view, people of color who voted for Trump were willing to look beyond Trump's racism to the promise of economic improvement.[154]
According to an August 2016 Suffolk University poll, 7% of those planning to vote for Trump thought he was racist. A November 2016 Post-ABC poll found that 50% of Americans thought Trump was biased against black people; the figure was 75% among black Americans.[155] According to an October 2017 Politico/Morning Consult poll, 45% of voters think Trump is racist, a plurality.[156]
A Quinnipiac poll asking the question, "Since the election of Donald Trump, do you believe the level of hatred and prejudice in the U.S. has increased, the level of hatred and prejudice has decreased, or hasn't it changed either way" was conducted in December 2017. Of the respondents, 62% believed that the level had increased, 4% felt that it had decreased, and 31% felt it was without change.[157]
A Quinnipiac poll conducted in January 2018 after Trump's Oval Office comments about immigration showed that 58 percent of American voters found the comments to be racist, while 59 percent said that he does not respect people of color as much as he respects white people.[158][159]
Analysis of pre- and post-election surveys from the American National Election Studies, as well as numerous other surveys and studies, show that since the rise of Trump in the Republican Party, attitudes towards racism have become a more significant factor than economic issues in determining voters' party allegiance.[26][27]
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Racial views of Donald Trump - Wikipedia
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