Trump’s latest racist claims won’t solve his general election problem

Even before an audience of Black conservatives, Trump couldn’t refrain from making racist jokes. Here, he speaks at the Black Conservative Federation’s Annual BCF Honors Gala in Columbia, S.C., Feb. 23, 2024. On stage, from left: former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson, Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., and Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas. | Andrew Harnik / AP Convicted rapist and criminally indicted Donald Trump made the outrageous assertion last weekend that his support among African Americans has grown as a result of his mugshot appearing in public and the four criminal charges he faces. He said there are strong similarities between the alleged “persecution of Trump” and the legacy of discrimination against Black people in the U.S. legal system. The remarks followed his announcement of sales of a new line of gold MAGA sneakers which he and numerous Fox and other right-wing pundits claim also appeal to Black Americans. Lately, Trump has been regularly talking about the alleged increase in his levels of support among Black voters before audiences populated by his racist white backers. Many of those in the crowds that believe Trump’s latest racist garbage are victims of the brainwashing that is part of the...