COLUMBIA, S.C. (WACH) — Days after Donald Trump addressed a large group of Black conservatives the night before the South Carolina primary, some comments he made are still getting attention.
The former president suggested his support from the Black community stems from what he describes as discrimination in the criminal justice system.
Several people including the Black Conservative Federation, which hosted the event said there’s a lot of truth in the comments Trump made, however, some others say that’s not the case.
Hundreds of people in the audience at the Black Conservative Federation Honors Gala laughed and clapped in support of Trump’s jokes and remarks regarding race and his support from the Black community.
“The lights are so bright in my eyes I can’t see too many people out there, said Trump jokingly. “But I can only see the Black ones. I can’t see any white ones. That’s how far I’ve come.”
The NAACP and South Carolina Democrats didn’t find any humor in Trump’s remarks.
“Donald Trump, he sees black people as a joke,” stated Chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party Christale Spain.
Executive Vice President for the Black Conservative Federation Quenton Jordan, said the event went well and the organization didn’t take any offense to the comments Trump made.
“His rhetoric is twisted in the media,” explained Jordan. “Again the event was four hours, he spoke for two of those hours and they picked up on a ten-second clip.”
At another time during the speech, Trump spoke about how he believed black people supported him because they understood the pain of discrimination.
“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 viewed me as I’m being discriminated against. It’s been pretty amazing,” exclaimed Trump.
Jordan said Trump was only speaking about the support he already has garnered from certain people in the Black community.
“Duke Tanner who was one of our guests who was somebody that was unjustly impacted due to the system was there and spoke out because he said I know what I went through as a black father, and I see they are doing the same types of things to trump,” recalled Jordan.
Spain refuted the idea that Trump had any noticeable support from African Americans and specifically she refuted any idea that Trump could related to the injustices of people of color.
“There is no comparison Donald Trump is a con man always has been,” declared Spain.
The Republican hopeful also mentioned how the Black community largely embraced his mugshot when it surfaced on the internet. A statement Jordan explained is backed by evidence.
“You have rappers like Chief Keef who posted on his story saying Trump is good in the hood,” said Jordan.
WACH is also looking into how Saturday’s GOP primary voters break down by demographic to get a look at how many Black voters supported Trump in his victory.
State election officials said those numbers will be available later this week.
