Trump's economic war on Black America

[marmar]

Trump’s economic war on Black America
The president says he loves “my African Americans." His policies tell a different story

By Chauncey DeVega
Senior Writer
Published July 12, 2026 6:45AM (EDT)


(Salon) Donald Trump claims he is a great friend to Black America. He loves “my African Americans,” he says, and claims to be the greatest president for Black people since Abraham Lincoln. He has pledged to protect “Black jobs” from “illegal aliens,” and that he will bring the factories back to America so that Black men can get good jobs working on assembly lines. Trump, of course, believes that Black Americans love him back: he won 15% of the Black vote in 2024, up from 8% in 2020.

Racism and white supremacy — not “working class” anxiety — lifted Trump to the White House twice. The president is fluent in crude racism and white racist conspiracy theories, and he has been explicit about his role as defender and champion of White America and MAGA.

But racism is much more than words, intent or what is in a person’s heart. It is also determined by outcomes and policies. By that standard, Donald Trump is engaging in economic warfare against Black America, and it will take generations to recover from the damage.

Trump’s policies have, both directly and indirectly, increased the unemployment rate for Black Americans, who are approximately 13% of the U.S. population and have long faced disproportionate levels of unemployment and lack of access to employment and high-wage jobs. While the national unemployment rate stands at approximately 4.3%, the Black unemployment rate is almost double. At 7.3%, it is approaching Covid-19 pandemic-era levels. The reality is far bleaker. Because of how the data is collected and analyzed, the true unemployment rate is usually (at least) twice the official unemployment rate.

In an interview with TheGrio, Trump was asked about the increase in Black unemployment since he took office. “We’re doing very well with the Black jobs, African-American jobs,” he said. “We saw some numbers that we’re doing really well.” ........................(more)

https://www.salon.com/2026/07/12/trumps-economic-war-on-black-america/

[eppur_se_muova]

1. How very Confederate of him to view himself as a 'Benevolent Master' and protector.

No one invited him; he just appointed himself. Illegitimately, as is usual for him.

[Bayard]

2. "my African Americans," says it all

He's thinking in slave terms.