By STEVE PEOPLES and MICHELLE L. PRICE
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump hosted a White Home reception for Black Historical past Month on Wednesday, lower than two weeks after he sparked a bipartisan outcry by posting a racist video on social media that depicted former President Barack Obama and his spouse, Michelle Obama, as primates in a jungle.
Trump on Wednesday didn’t reference the video, which he deleted after a widespread backlash however stated he received’t apologize for posting. He additionally didn’t reference Barack Obama, the nation’s first Black president, however spoke of different history-making Black Individuals.
“We have fun Black Historical past Month. We honor the reminiscence of those that got here earlier than us by persevering with their legacy,” he stated.
Trump name-checked distinguished Black Individuals amongst his supporters, together with boxer Mike Tyson, whom Trump praised for defending him in opposition to accusations of racism, and rapper Nicki Minaj, whose pores and skin he praised as “so lovely” whereas commenting on how lengthy her fingernails have been.
The Republican president introduced onstage a number of members of his administration, together with Housing and City Growth Secretary Scott Turner and White Home pardon czar Alice Marie Johnson.
“As you look out upon this sea of Black Individuals, this president hears you. This president cares for you. Don’t let anybody let you know that this president proper right here, Donald Trump has not — is just not for Black America,” Johnson stated. “As a result of he’s.”
Trump listed methods he stated his insurance policies benefited Black Individuals, together with the regulation he signed final 12 months eliminating federal earnings taxes on ideas and his deployment of Nationwide Guard troops “to carry again security” in cities with massive populations of Black residents, comparable to Washington, New Orleans and Memphis, Tennessee.
The reception got here the day after Trump proclaimed in one other social media publish that he has been “falsely and constantly known as a Racist by the Scoundrels and Lunatics on the Radical Left,” in a message that was meant to pay tribute to the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who died Tuesday.
In response to a query in regards to the publish, White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated earlier Wednesday: “There’s a lot this president has performed for all Individuals, no matter race. And he has completely been falsely known as and smeared as a racist.”
Trump has lengthy acknowledged Black Historical past Month as president, however his insurance policies and rhetoric whereas in workplace typically contradict celebrations of variety and the contributions of Black Individuals.
Trump has focused the range, fairness and inclusion applications that helped many Black Individuals discover jobs in each the federal authorities and quite a lot of non-public industries over the past a number of many years. He has known as DEI applications “discrimination,” and he has pushed to eradicate them from the federal government and put stress on the non-public sector to do the identical.
On the identical time, Trump has painted himself as champion of traditionally Black schools and universities. The White Home on Wednesday highlighted the Trump administration’s transfer final 12 months to steer $500 million to HBCUs. The one-time enhance largely got here from federal cash taken away from schools serving massive shares of Hispanic college students. The award for HBCUs got here days after the Training Division pulled $350 million from different grant applications focusing on schools with sure percentages of Hispanic college students and different minority teams. The Trump administration stated these grant applications have been unconstitutional.
Trump started his second time period by claiming some African American historical past classes are supposed to indoctrinate individuals into hating the nation. He issued an govt order “restoring reality and sanity to American historical past,” which the administration used to wash historic info from nationwide parks that “inappropriately disparage Individuals previous or residing,” together with Black historical past markers.
Shortly after starting his second time period, Trump issued a proclamation recognizing February as Black Historical past Month because the Protection Division was declaring that official sources will now not be used to mark cultural consciousness months.
The White Home’s Black Historical past Month reception final 12 months was additionally held within the wake of one other govt order that ended the federal authorities’s variety, fairness and inclusion applications.
Related Press writers Collin Binkley in Washington and Graham Brewer in Norman, Oklahoma, contributed to this report.
