Trump Repeats Widely-Criticized Black Jobs Dog Whistle

Donald Trump ranted about Black jobs again at a Thursday press conference in New York City.

“All of these people coming in are horrible for the Black population and the Hispanic population,” the former president said, occasionally appearing to reference prepared remarks. “They’re taking the jobs of the Black population at levels that they’ve never seen before. Hispanic also. They’re suffering, and the families are suffering.”

“They go out, they think they have a job, and they’ve lost a job to an illegal migrant,” he continued.

Trump was widely criticized after his debate with Joe Biden in June when he accused immigrants of “taking Black jobs.” He repeated the phrase at the National Association of Black Journalists’ annual convention in July.

The former president’s assertion that certain roles are “Black jobs” attracted plenty of controversy. Michelle Obama poked fun at Trump at the Democratic National Convention in August when she said, “Who’s going to tell him that the job he’s currently seeking might just be one of those ‘Black jobs’?” the former first lady said.

Asked at the NABJ convention to define a “Black job,” Trump sparked laughter when he said, “A Black job is anybody that has a job. That’s what it is.”

Economists have routinely suggested that immigrants have little effect on native employment. Unemployment among Black Americans remains low.

Still, the attack has been a frequent theme of Trump’s recent stump speeches as he attempts to attract Black voters. Though Kamala Harris holds a wide lead with this group, Trump has made inroads.

On Thursday, Black pastors in Detroit joined a roundtable outreach event hosted by the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee. On Friday, the only Black Republican in the Senate, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) is set to host a Black empowerment financial literacy event on behalf of the Trump campaign.