In a brazen display of political manipulation, former President Donald Trump took to the stage on Feb. 23, at the Black Conservative Federation Gala in South Carolina, using racially charged rhetoric and shamelessly attempting to forge a connection between his multiple criminal indictments and the historical struggles of Black Americans.
The twice-impeached and four-times indicted former president is facing 91 felony counts, including racketeering and conspiracy to obstruct justice. A New York jury determined that he should pay nearly $90 million for sexually assaulting a journalist. A judge has ordered him to pay about a half-billion in penalties for committing massive business fraud. Yet Trump boasted about his legal battles, suggesting that the Black community supports him because they identify with the discrimination he claims to face.
“I got indicted a second time, a third time, and a fourth time and a lot of people said that that’s why the Black people like me because they have been hurt so badly and discriminated against,” Trump declared callously, drawing applause from the audience.
Attempting to equate his privileged legal battles with the systemic oppression endured by Black Americans throughout history, Trump asserted, “I think that’s why the Black people are so much on my side now because they see what’s happening to me happens to them. Does that make sense?”
Throughout the evening, Trump continued his disturbing narrative, pointing to his mugshot from the Fulton County election interference case as a symbol embraced by the Black population. “My mug shot; we’ve all seen the mug shot. And you know who embraced it more than anybody else: the Black population. It’s incredible,” he remarked, exploiting the image for political gain and suggesting that African Americans are particularly familiar with mugshots.
In a tasteless attempt at humor, Trump made racially insensitive comments about the brightness of the lights on stage, stating, “These lights are so bright in my eyes that I can’t see too many people out there. But I can only see the Black ones. I can’t see any white ones. You see, that’s how far I’ve come. That’s how far I’ve come.” The remarks played into racial stereotypes, leaving some on stage uncomfortably laughing.
Trump’s calculated appearance included Black political allies, such as Reps. Byron Donalds and Wesley Hunt, as well as former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson, all of whom are Black but have little to no ties to fellow African Americans. The event has ignited widespread condemnation for its blatant attempt to exploit racial tensions and manipulate the struggles of Black Americans for political gain.
The former president’s shameless tactics at the gala underscored a troubling trend of divisive rhetoric and opportunistic exploitation, raising questions about the ethical boundaries of political discourse and the extent to which leaders are willing to go to secure support within specific communities.
“There’s just so much controversy,” Ebony McBeth, a Columbia resident and transportation worker, told the Associated Press. “I would go for Biden just because Trump has his own agenda.”
Isaac Williams Sr., a retired cook from Columbia and a lifelong Democrat, said he disliked both parties but found Trump to “have mobster tendencies. He’s only out for himself.”
