On Friday evening in Columbia, South Carolina President Trump will address the Black Conservative Federation gala honoring retired neurosurgeon and conservative thought leader Dr. Ben Carson along with singer Mary Millben and activist C.J. Pearson.
Trump has repeatedly used his speeches to cast Kamala Harris and Joe Biden as threats to democracy, an accusation which was repeated this week in another speech of his.
Trump’s appeal to Black voters
As Black voters prepare to cast their vote Saturday, advisers for Donald Trump claim he hopes to secure some of their support, making a final pitch at a black-tie event in Columbia, South Carolina on Friday night – speaking at the Black Conservative Federation Honors Gala which promotes economic stability and educational opportunity among millennials.
Surrounded by Black Republican lawmakers – Sen. Tim Scott, Reps Wesley Hunt and Byron Donalds among them – Donald Trump boasted of his administration’s work for Black people by emphasizing how it had helped boost historically black colleges (HBCUs), create jobs and lower unemployment among them.
Trump claims his legal troubles have increased his support among Black voters because they view him as the victim of discrimination. He contrasted them to the historical legacy of anti-Black prejudice in America and claimed President Joe Biden has done more damage to Black communities than him.
His message
Trump often presents his campaign in terms of an all-or-nothing, good versus evil debate, depicting his opponents as part of an evil system out to attack Christians. When speaking at the Black Conservative Federation gala on Thursday night, he employed these familiar tropes again.
He told his audience that Democratic figures such as Kamala Harris and Joe Biden have disregarded what Black voters care about in terms of politics and economic issues, while extolling his own record on those matters as evidence that things are improving for Blacks and other minority voters due to his policies.
He credited his administration with forgiving billions in student loan debt, lowering insulin prices, and negotiating Medicare drug prices. Trump also highlighted his personal experience as a New York developer by hiring Black workers who are excellent employees who deserve high-paying jobs. Although Trump mostly avoided discussing abortion rights – an issue at the heart of Democratic primaries – but did not address a recent Supreme Court ruling which he claims will overturn Roe v Wade.
Economic Opportunities
He will serve as the keynote speaker at the Black Conservative Federation’s annual gala in Columbia, which seeks to foster economic stability, educational opportunity and community empowerment among its millennial-aligned members.
At the event, Trump touted his record in providing economic opportunities to Blacks while refuting accusations of racism by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. According to Trump, Democrats had failed Black voters on issues including crime, education and employment.
He highlighted his support of the First Step Act, which will reduce sentences for nonviolent drug offenders, and highlighted his success in stimulating the economy, including increasing homeownership rates and providing record funding levels for Historically Black Colleges and Universities. He pledged his continued dedication in four years’ time.
Border Crossings
While Donald Trump has traditionally focused on appealing to Black voters through economic issues, during his appearance at the gala he also highlighted public safety and immigration as priorities, receiving a standing ovation when discussing crime reduction or illegal border crossings.
This event signals that the White House is making efforts to win back voters it lost in 2016 and 2020. Earlier in Atlanta, President Trump unveiled plans to increase lending to black-owned businesses as well as to declare Juneteenth a federal holiday marking the end of slavery.
WACH interviewed attendees of the event who are convinced Trump is the ideal choice for Black Americans, while other voters expressed doubt that Republicans can convince Black voters away from Democrats; they pointed to recent polling showing their enthusiasm has dissipated and also cast doubt upon Trump’s claim that his economic policies will boost Black incomes by an average of $10,000 per year.
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