Christine Jordan Sexton
U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, the Southwest Florida Republican who has been mentioned as a potential vice presidential candidate, said he was not offended by recent comments made by former President Donald Trump that suggested Black people like him because he has been criminally charged.
Donalds, who appeared on NBC News’ Meet the Press, contended that Black voters are interested in supporting him for multiple reasons, including Trump’s handling of the economy, but he said Trump’s legal woes are a factor as well.
“This is something similar that Black people have had to deal with the justice system themselves,” Donalds said. “Their look of it is real simple: Well dang, if the government is going after him with foolishness he can’t be that bad, especially considering the fact that Joe Biden is terrible at his job.”
Donalds has been a strong supporter of Trump and endorsed him shortly before Gov. Ron DeSantis officially jumped into the race.
While attending an event for Black conservatives in South Carolina, Trump said he was appealing to Black voters because he had been “discriminated against due to his four criminal indictments, including charges that allege he tried to overturn the results of the 2020 Presidential Election.
“And a lot of people said that’s why the Black people like me, because they have been hurt so badly and discriminated against, and they actually viewed me as I’m being discriminated against,” Trump told the crowd. “It’s been pretty amazing but possibly, maybe, there’s something there.”
Trump also said that Black people “embraced” his mug shot that was taken and released after he was charged in Georgia.
Former U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond, a Co-Chair of the Biden re-election campaign, ripped into Trump’s comments on Saturday.
“Donald Trump claiming that Black Americans will support him because of his criminal charges is insulting,” Richmond said. “It’s moronic. And it’s just plain racist. He thinks Black voters are so uninformed that we won’t see through his shameless pandering.”
Meet the Press host Kristen Welker shared Richmond’s comment with Donalds who brushed them off as “racial politics.” He then repeated reasons that Trump has appeal for Black voters, including that he has been prosecuted under a “two-tiered system of justice.”
“What Americans don’t want to see, especially Black Americans and anybody else, they don’t want to see a politicized justice department,” Donalds said.
Welker then asked if Donalds was offended by the comments. “No, I wasn’t because I understood what the president was talking about.”
8 comments
Souless
February 25, 2024 at 4:55 pm
Of course not.. He has his own history of lawlessness..diversion program and expunged charges.. He would love to make his way into the White House.. Yes Sir Orange Man..whatever you say is good with me. I sold my soul a long time ago..
Ron Forrest Ron
February 27, 2024 at 9:16 am
“The blacks” having a “history of lawlessness..diversion program and expunged charges” in the minds of MAGAs is the very reason The Donald alleges that “the blacks” love him.
Cranky old man Donald doesn’t realize one huge difference between him and his “the blacks.”
Donald worked hard for his felony indictments. His indictments weren’t brought upon him as a result of the orange color of his skin.
Despite what anyone might have seen on TV, orange is not black
Dont Say FLA
February 26, 2024 at 7:50 am
When i suggest a survey to uncover real thoughts of real black voters, I didn’t mean one guy who is a FLgOP Trump sycophant . I meant real voters who are black and not compensated in any way by any PAC or its politicians for their political statement and have not been given a t-shirt to wear and were not “randomly” selected to sit behind Trump yet to the side just enough always to be visible on the TV screen.
Michael K
February 26, 2024 at 10:01 am
No matter how much Trump denigrates and degrades individuals or groups of people, the spineless Republican sycophants crawl back and say, “yes, more abuse and degradation, please.” Just look at Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and Pudding Fungers DeSantis…
Phil Morton
February 26, 2024 at 8:29 pm
I’m offended that Byron Donalds is not offended.
Ron Forrest Ron
February 27, 2024 at 1:58 pm
Try not to be offended. Byron could just be dumb as a box of rocks, and it’s not nice to make fun of the mentally challenged.
Elmo
February 27, 2024 at 8:25 am
Bootlicker Byron!
jean solomon
February 28, 2024 at 11:31 am
well, i almost feel sorry for this man…he has no problem throwing his fellow black men under the bus….the fact that he identifies with that grifter Trumpf, says all you need to know about him.. we never would have known what kind of man he is, had he just kept his mouth shut., i never would have guessed that he is so weak, he needs an orange guys coat tails to hang on to.
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