New Mexico
What exactly Trump has said about race
The Trumps settle with the Department of Justice over housing discrimination charges, agreeing to meet certain standards while not admitting any wrongdoing.
A judge rules against the Trump Plaza Hotel in New Jersey, concluding the hotel discriminated in removing a Black dealer from a table at the request of a wealthy player.
Trump says during a Congressional hearing when talking about Native American casino officials, accusing them of working with organized crime. He adds that political correctness has given Native American status to some people who don’t “look like Indians.”
The chairwoman of the Palm Beach County Commission chastises Trump for apparently failing to meet his pledge to make “reasonable efforts” to give 30 percent of contracts for building a Trump golf course to minorities.
Trump agrees to apologize and pay a fine for secretly financing sharp ads opposing a Native American gambling proposal. The ads included pictures of syringes and cocaine and asked, “Are these the new neighbors we want?”
On the Howard Stern radio show, Trump raises an idea for his reality show, “The Apprentice” — an all-white team vying against an all-Black team. After show co-host Robin Quivers jokes that will cause a riot, Trump responds, “It would be the highest-rated show on television.”
Trump tells conservative CPAC that President Barack Obama’s classmates never saw him at school. Politifact rated this statement “pants on fire.”
Trump goes on “The View,” says that President Obama must show his birth certificate.
In an interview with the Associated Press, Trump questions how President Obama got into Columbia and Harvard. Later he tells reporters Obama should “get off the basketball court.”
Trump tweets that a documentary about the full exoneration of the five men of color in the Central Park jogger case is “one-sided” and didn’t explain their “horrific crimes.”
Trump tweets that he’s smarter than “Jonathan Leibowitz – I mean Jon Stewart…”
On FOX News, Trump responds to Democratic Rep. Charlie Rangel’s use of the word “cracker” for white people by saying there is unfair and greater backlash against Republicans who use “n—–” to describe Black people.
Trump writes an Op-Ed for the New York Daily News. He says that the five men falsely jailed were no “angels” and the city’s $40 million settlement with them is a “heist.”
Trump tweets that Mexico is corrupt and sends criminals over the U.S. border.
Trump tweets that “thugs” are happily and openly destroying the city.
In an interview with CNN, Trump insists Mexico is sending rapists to America. He does not seem to accept research showing that rapes of women crossing the border are largely done by traffickers.
In a tweet he later deleted, Trump writes that Bush “has to like the Mexican illegals because of his wife.” Columba Bush was born in Mexico and legally immigrated to the United States.
After two white men indicated Donald Trump inspired them to beat and urinate on a homeless Hispanic man, Trump initially calls it a”shame” but says his supporters are “passionate.” He later tweets that the incident was terrible and he does not condone violence.
Trump tells Bloomberg he doesn’t want David Duke’s endorsement and doesn’t need any endorsement. Asked if he would repudiate Duke, Trump said, “sure…if it made you feel better.”
Speaking to the Republican Jewish Coalition, Trump discussed Israeli-Palestinian talks and then said “I’m a negotiator, like you folks” and “this room negotiates perhaps more than any room I’ve spoken to, maybe more.” (In February, Trump would tell CNN the “Persians are great negotiators.”)
policies. In an interview with ABC, Trump says his Muslim ban proposal is no different than President Franklin Roosevelt’s orders regarding Japanese, German and Italian Americans during WWII.
On Facebook, the former Klansman urges his followers to vote for Trump, saying it is “treason to your heritage” to vote for others.
At a news conference, Trump says he didn’t know about Duke’s announcement and responds “I disavow. OK?”
On CNN, Trump is asked in multiple ways if he condemns David Duke and does not directly answer. The following day,
Trump says this was because he had a bad earpiece.
Trump tweets photo of him eating a taco salad, with the message “I love Hispanics” and “Happy #CincoDeMayo.”
In Redding, California, Trump stresses support from African Americans and points to a Black man in the crowd, saying, “Oh, look at my African American over here!” In the speech, he also spoke of support from a group of Chinese Americans.
Politifact rated the claim “mostly false.”
Trump tells reporters with him in Scotland that it wouldn’t bother him for a Scottish Muslim to enter the United States. This, after he had pledged in December to ban all Muslims from arriving in the U.S. Advisers try to walk back the comments and say the ban would focus on countries associated with terrorist groups.
Trump questions why Gold Star mother and Pakistani-American Ghazala Khan was silent when her husband spoke at the Democratic convention. “Maybe she wasn’t allowed to have anything to say,” Trump suggested. Mrs. Khan later said she did not speak because she was overcome by emotion.
Trump directly asks for African American votes in a speech about law and order. He vows to protect minorities from immigrants who could take their jobs and accuses Hillary Clinton of bigotry.
In Charlotte, North Carolina, Trump promises “jobs, safety” and “fair, equal representation” to “African Americans, Hispanic Americans and all Americans.” (Note: he also expresses regret for some of his recent words, though does not specify which words.)
At a Fredericksburg, Virginia, rally, Trump says he wants the Republican Party to “be the home of the African American vote once again.”
Trump participates in a roundtable discussion with Black leaders and community members affected by crime in Philadelphia.
In a town hall with FOX News’ Sean Hannity, Trump says that he supports “stop and frisk,” which allows police to question and temporarily detain anyone. Studies have shown minorities are disproportionately detained in “stop and frisk.”
Trump gives CNN a statement about the five men falsely imprisoned for a 1989 rape, saying “they admitted they were guilty.” Experts point to the men’s confessions as an example of police coercion. DNA evidence concluded another man committed the crime.
During the second presidential debate, Trump equates inner cities with African Americans and falsely states the urban Black poverty rate (inflating it by nearly 20 percentage points).
At a rally in Toledo, Ohio, Trump refers to problem urban areas initially as “ghettos” then as the “inner city.”
appears on the celebrity website Media Take Out. The site says the list came from the Trump transition team.
Trump meets with former NFL star Jim Brown to talk about a program serving Black Americans. The same day he meets with two other high-profile Black Americans: former Baltimore Ravens star Ray Lewis and hip hop artist Kanye West.
ABC and others report the president would not visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture on Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 16) as previously discussed.
statement calls for remembering “victims, survivors, heroes” but omits mention of Jews, who were the largest ethnic group affected. Politico later reports the State Department had drafted a version which did mention Jews, but the White House blocked its release.
with a White House breakfast. He praises Martin Luther King Jr. and Black Americans in general. He also seems to speak as if 19th century abolitionist Frederick Douglass were a living person.
Trump asks American Urban Radio reporter April Ryan, who is Black, in response to her question about whether he would meet with the Congressional Black Caucus. He says he would love to meet with the CBC and asks Ryan to set up a meeting. (She later tweets that’s not her job).
Trump says in the same news conference. He has a tense exchange with a young Jewish reporter asking about an increase in anti-Semitic acts.
Trump speaks with and takes an Oval Office photo with a large group of Historically Black College and University presidents.
Trump signs an executive order moving the Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities to the White House and calling for greater efforts to find funding.
tells the president in a White House meeting that his words have been “hurtful,” “offensive,” and not helpful to the black community.
In a signing statement for $1.1 trillion funding bill, the president points to $20 million in funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities as potentially being unconstitutionally based on race.
The Associated Press reports the Trump Organization has little evidence of hiring minorities for executive positions. Trump responds: “I am the least discriminatory person in the world,” and says he has hired minorities for those roles. Neither he nor his staff provide the AP with evidence to confirm those hires.
The White House invites the entire Congressional Black Caucus for a meeting with the president.
A White House statement says “of course” the president included white supremacists in his condemnation.
Speaking from the White House, the president says, “racism is evil” and goes on to specifically name the KKK, Neo-Nazis and white supremacists.
Speaking at a rally in Phoenix, Trump lashes out at coverage of his remarks about Charlottesville, Virginia, saying he loves “all the people of our country” and repeating that “racism is evil.” He calls the white nationalist driver who killed a protester in Charlottesville “a murderer.” Minutes later, Trump defends Confederate statues, charging that those who want to remove them “are trying to take our history and our heritage away.”
Trump says NFL owners should fire “son of a bitch” players who kneel during the National Anthem to protest police brutality against people of color.
Trump tells reporters when asked about reports that he called Haiti and African nations “s***hole countries.” He denies saying the words, disputing the account of Democratic senators in the room.
In his State of the Union address, the president highlights historic low rates of African American and Hispanic unemployment. The LA Times found him to be correct about black unemployment and nearly correct on the Hispanic rate. Critics point out the president did not address the wide racial gap in employment rates overall.
Speaking at a White House roundtable on illegal immigration, Trump says: “We’re taking people out of the country…These aren’t people. These are animals.” The following day he insists he was referring only to members of the MS-13 gang.
The president disinvites the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles to a White House event after a number of players decided not to attend. He then criticizes protests over the rights of Black Americans, writing that any players staying in the locker room during the national anthem are as “disrespectful to our country” as those kneeling during the song.
The president tweets that he has directed the secretary of state to look into reports that the South African government “is now seizing land from white farmers.” There is no evidence of such widespread seizures, but the African National Congress is proposing allowing the uncompensated land takings. A spokesman for South Africa responds that the president is misinformed.
The president signs the FIRST STEP and Juvenile Justice Reform Acts, bills aimed at reducing racial disparities, especially for Black Americans, in the criminal justice system. Trump does not mention race during his remarks at the bill ceremony.
At an event celebrating criminal justice reform, Trump says the new law rolls back a 1994 law that “disproportionately affected the African American community.” He also touts economic gains by African Americans and Hispanic Americans.
Speaking before the Republican Jewish Coalition, Trump accuses Democrats of allowing anti-Semitism to take hold in their party as some of their members criticized Israel and referred to Jewish groups using financial terms. The president also referred to migrants from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador as “some of the roughest people you’ve ever seen.”
defends his 2015 description of Mexican migrants as rapists and criminals. “That speech was so mild compared to what’s happening,” he said.
Trump tells reporters he is the “least racist person anywhere in the world” and that “African Americans love the job I’m doing.”
Speaking at the 400th anniversary of the 1619 meeting of the colonial legislature in Virginia, Trump also recognizes the arrival of African slaves that same year. “We remember every sacred soul who suffered the horrors of slavery and the anguish of bondage,” and “African Americans have built, strengthened, inspired, uplifted, protected, defended, and sustained our nation from its very earliest days,” he says. Trump later tells reporters that no president has done as much as he has for African Americans.
Following the mass killing of 23 people in El Paso, Texas, by a man with a history of white nationalist and anti-immigrant writing, some of which mirrored the president’s past words, Trump says in a White House speech, “in one voice our nation must condemn racism, bigotry and white supremacy.”
While departing to meet with survivors of mass shootings in Dayton, Ohio, and El Paso, Texas, Trump is asked about the rise of white supremacy. He responds that he is “very concerned” about “any group of hate … whether it’s white supremacy, whether it’s any other kind of supremacy, whether it’s Antifa, whether it’s any group of hate.” He also says his rhetoric had no impact on the violence.
Speaking at a rally in New Mexico, Trump says an advisor “happens to be Hispanic” but “looks more like a WASP [white Anglo-Saxon Protestant] than I do.” He then says he has asked the advisor: “Who do you like more, the country, or the Hispanics?”
Trump hosts the conservative “Young Black Leadership summit” at the White House, and says “African Americans built this nation,” and that no one has been hurt more by Democrats’ policies than them.
At a rally in Minneapolis, Trump calls Rep. Ilhan Omar, a U.S. citizen born in Somalia, an “America-hating socialist” and criticizes the large numbers of Somali refugees in the state, saying he wants to give the community more of a say on who arrives in the state, and pledging to make it harder for such refugees to enter.
The president tweets that Democrats are impeaching him without due process and, “Republicans must remember what they are witnessing here – a lynching!”
The president launches a new campaign effort, “Black Voices for Trump.” He tells a crowd that he will “campaign for every last African American vote in 2020” and touts economic gains for Black Americans in his presidency.
Trump tweets that it is fitting that MLK Jr. Day is on the third anniversary of his inauguration, pointing to economic gains for African Americans during his presidency.
The Trump campaign plays a 30-second ad during the Super Bowl focusing on criminal justice reform and his commutation of a Black woman’s sentence.
In his annual State of the Union address to Congress, Trump recognizes a member of the Tuskegee Airmen, a historic Black World War II pilot group. He also stresses the historic low unemployment rates among African Americans and Hispanic Americans.
After former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg apologizes for his past use of stop-and-frisk policing, Trump tweets that “Bloomberg is a Total Racist.” He later deletes the tweet, telling reporters he does not want to divide the country.
Trump tells the group that what he’s achieved for Black Americans is unprecedented.
On Twitter, Trump writes the U.S. must protect its industries from “the Chinese virus.” He and others in the administration repeatedly use the phrase after this, in at least one case changing his prepared remarks to include it.
Trump tells reporters his use of the phrase “Chinese virus” is justified because the virus comes from China. “It’s not racist at all,” he says.
As acts of hostility toward Asian Americans continue to rise, Trump tweets, “it is very important that we totally protect our Asian American community” and that the virus spread is “NOT their fault.”
Trump tells FOX News he does not regret it, but will no longer use the term.
Trump posts a statement on Twitter saying he will temporarily suspend all immigration, due to the “Invisible Enemy,” a phrase he has used to indicate the coronavirus. The order is issued two days later, and applies to those outside the U.S. who are seeking green cards.
In a television interview, Trump calls the shooting of Black jogger Ahmaud Arbery “very disturbing.” He also says he believes “something we didn’t see on tape” could have happened.
Trump tweets he has requested an investigation into Floyd’s May 25 death, describing it as “very sad and tragic,” and saying that he appreciates the work of local law enforcement and his heart goes out to George’s friends and family.
Amid protests across the country, some of which turned violent, the president tweets that “thugs” are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd. He also writes, “when the looting starts, the shooting starts,” invoking a phrase used in 1967 by a police chief who openly condoned police brutality. Twitter initially hides the tweet, then makes it visible again, with a warning. Trump later says he did not know the history of the phrase.
In his first spoken remarks on Floyd’s death, Trump recognizes “the pain people are feeling” and says he wants a “more just society.” He does not mention race or racism.
Trump tweets that any protesters climbing or breaching the White House fence will be met with “the most vicious dogs” and “ominous weapons” he’s ever seen.
In remarks at the White House, Trump announces he is mobilizing federal resources to stop what he sees as lawlessness spreading across the country. He says Americans are rightly “revolted and sickened” by Floyd’s death and that he is an ally of peaceful protesters, but cannot allow them to be drowned out by an “angry mob.”
In a television interview, Trump says of his likely presidential opponent Joe Biden, “Now he’s talking about systemic racism and the police department. Why wouldn’t he have done something about it [when a senator or vice president]?” Trump accuses Biden of being bad for African Americans. Trump does not otherwise address racism.
When asked by the NewsHour’s Yamiche Alcindor what his plan is for systemic racism, Trump says his plan is to have the strongest economy in the world. He says the economy is the greatest thing that can happen for race relations.
Speaking at a roundtable with law enforcement officers, Trump defends them as 99.9 percent “great people.” He points to “bad apples” and indicates he does not see a systemic problem. Trump does not mention race.
The president breaks with some military leaders and tweets that his administration will not consider renaming military installations honoring Confederate figures, writing that they are part of America’s heritage and “our history … will not be tampered with!”
At a roundtable in Texas, Trump says, “We have to work together to confront bigotry and prejudice wherever they appear, but we’ll make no progress and heal no wounds by falsely labeling tens of millions of decent Americans as racists or bigots.”
Trump tweets that he is delaying a rally planned for Tulsa, Oklahoma, by one day, upon the advice of “African American friends and supporters” who say it would not respect the Juneteenth holiday, which observes the day that the news of slavery’s end had reached the entire country. Tulsa is the site of one of the nation’s bloodiest race riots, in which up to 300 Black people were killed by white residents.
Trump tells the Wall Street Journal, in an interview published this day, that he personally made Juneteenth famous and nobody had ever heard of it before. Politifact rated this a “Pants on Fire” untrue statement. He also expresses surprise when the reporter tells him his White House has issued statements about Juneteenth in each year of his presidency.
Trump tells the Wall Street Journal, in an interview published this day, that he personally made Juneteenth famous and nobody had ever heard of it before. Politifact rated this a “Pants on Fire” untrue statement. He also expresses surprise when the reporter tells him his White House has issued statements about Juneteenth in each year of his presidency.
The president and first lady issue a statement to those celebrating Juneteenth in which they say it reminds them of the “unimaginable injustice of slavery and the incomparable joy that must have attended emancipation.”
At a campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Trump makes several statements related to race and nationality.
- Speaking about the need for police, Trump depicts a hypothetical break-in and attack on a woman whose husband is away and calls the fictional criminal a tough “hombre” — Spanish for “man.”
- Trump rejects the National Football League’s new support for athletes who kneel in protest of treatment of Black Americans, saying, “We will never kneel to our great American anthem, or flag.”
- He calls the coronavirus “the Kung flu” and the “Chinese virus.”
- He says Rep. Ilhan Omar, an American citizen and Somalian refugee, wants to make the U.S. like the country where she was born, and wants to “tell us how to run our country.”
- He claims, “I’ve done more for the Black community in four years than [likely presidential opponent] Joe Biden has done in 47 years,” and that “racial justice begins with Joe Biden’s retirement from public life.”
- Trump stresses that he signed criminal justice reform, sent increased funding to historically Black colleges and universities, that his tax cuts have had large benefits for the Black community and that he is working with Black Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., on helping vulnerable communities.
- He announces the creation of a park in Tulsa commemorating the 1921 race massacre and honoring a famous Black historian, which will be part of a national network of Black history sites.
- He says “thank you to our Italian population,” adding, “we are very proud of you.” Later while speaking about U.S. troops in Germany, he points out, “I have a German heritage, like some of you.”
The president issues an executive order extending his April freeze on green cards and also freezing several categories of immigrant work permits.
As protests over police violence against Black Americans continue, the President retweets two videos depicting Black men attacking white people, asking why there was no protest over one incident, and calling the other “so terrible!“
On Twitter, Trump accuses an activist previously affiliated with Black Lives Matter of treason for saying protesters will “burn down this system and replace it” if their demands aren’t met. The Black Lives Matter Global Network disavows any direct connection with the man.
The president tells FOX News that people in four majority non-white cities — Detroit, Oakland, Chicago and Baltimore — are “living in hell.” He defends his criticism as objective, “not racist,” and says Black people are grateful for his concern.
Lashing out at the “Radical Left,” Trump retweets a two-minute video of a verbal clash in a Florida retirement community. A protester asks a Trump supporter, “where’s your [Ku Klux Klan] hood?” The Trump supporter responds by yelling “white power!” The retweet was later deleted and the White House said the president did not hear the phrase when he watched the video, but it did not comment on the use of the phrase otherwise.
Trump writes on Twitter that he is “studying” an affirmative action law aimed at reducing racial disparities in housing, which he believes has a “devastating” effect on suburban areas.
On Twitter, Trump pledges to veto a key defense bill if it includes a provision replacing the names of military bases honoring Confederate soldiers. He jabs at the provision’s author, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., again calling her “Pocahontas” to mock her past claims of Native American ancestry.
The president tweets that a proposed Black Lives Matter street sign in New York City would antagonize police and denigrate the “luxury Avenue.”
In front of Mt. Rushmore, Trump blames unspecified activists for a “cultural revolution” that he says is aimed at overthrowing the American Revolution. He rails against damage and destruction of some statues in the U.S., including those of Chrisopher Columbus, Presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, and African American soldiers in the Civil War. He claims groups are trying to divide and “end” America.
In his Fourth of July speech, the president says, “no matter our race, color, religion or creed, we put America first” and the country should not be divided “by race or background.” He says there are some people who are “lying about our history.”
On Twitter, Trump asks if Black NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace has apologized for what the president claims was a “hoax.” This follows an incident in which a noose was found in Wallace’s garage, initially thought to be a hate crime against Wallace but ultimately determined to have been there since last year. Trump said the incident and NASCAR’s ban on the Confederate flag were bad for ratings.