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The Long, Racist History of Donald Trump, From the 1970s to Now

As Trump picks his potential Black Vice President, don't be fooled: we examine the messy things he's done to people of color throughout the years.

Donald Trump is currently selecting his Vice President for the upcoming election, with potential candidates consisting of Republican Senators Tim Scott, Doug Burgum, J.D. Vance and Marco Rubio. Additionally, Ben Carson is also on the list. Last month, Donald Trump became the first former president to be convicted of felony crimes and is currently awaiting sentencing. With everything that is going on with Trump, hereโ€™s a look at how heโ€™s gone from bad to worse over the years.

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Trump’s Tariffs Might Stick Around. What Should We Buy Now?
Trump’s Tariffs Might Stick Around. What Should We Buy Now?

Refusing To Rent To Black People

Photo: Getty Images Bettmann Archive

In 1973, the U.S. Department of Justice sued the Trump Management Corporation for failing to follow the Fair Housing Act. There was evidence discovered by federal officials that showed he refused to rent apartments to Black people. Ultimately, he signed an agreement that stipulated he would not discriminate to renters of color without admitting to his history of discriminatory behavior.

Going After Central Park 5

Photo: InStyle

In 1989, the Central Park 5โ€”consisting of 4 Black teens and one Latino teenโ€”were accused of attacking and raping a white woman in New York City. Trump took out ads in newspapers that read: โ€œBRING BACK THE DEATH PENALTY. BRING BACK OUR POLICE!โ€ The teenagers later had their convictions overturned, but Trump never apologized for his heinous actions.

Racism At Trump Plaza Hotel And Casino

Photo: Hotel.Info

In the early 1990s, Trump was accused of being racist toward Black people by the former president of Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino John Oโ€™Donnell. In addition, the Casino paid a $200k fine in 1992 after transferring Black people and non-Black women dealers off tables at the request of a patron.

More Racist Newspaper Ads

Photo: The New York Times

In 2000, Trump yet again ran a series of newspaper ads when St. Regis Mohawk tribe considered opening a casino that would be in direct competition with his. The ads stated that the tribe had a โ€œrecord of criminal activityโ€ that was well known. He also said their dark skin was proof that their ancestry was fake.

Attempt To Segregate โ€œThe Apprenticeโ€

Photo: CNN

Trumpโ€™s reality show โ€œThe Apprenticeโ€ was a huge hit in the 2000s but he wanted it to garner controversy. In 2005, he publicly shared his thoughts on having the show be Black people versus white people. Trump stated that he wanted to create โ€œa team of successful African Americans versus a team of successful whites. Whether people like that idea or not, it is somewhat reflective of our very vicious world.โ€

Obama Birtherism Conspiracy Theory

Photo: BBC

Barack Obama becoming this countryโ€™s first Black president infuriated Trump, as he pushed the lie that Obama was not born in the United States. Obama ultimately shared his birth certificate and called out Trump as a โ€œcarnival barker.โ€ Trump recanted his conspiracy theory in 2016.

Calling Mexican Rapists

Photo: ABC

Trump began his presidential campaign in 2015 by calling Mexican immigrants rapists. He also said they were โ€œbringing crimeโ€ and โ€œbringing drugsโ€ to America. Trump used this rhetoric to justify building a wall to keep them out of the United States.

Covid Racism

Screenshot: YouTube

During his presidency, Trump referred to coronavirus as โ€œkung fluโ€ and the โ€œChinese virus.โ€ His blatant racism helped fuel hate crimes against Asian Americans, which they reported as a result of the spread of CoviMeanwhile, Asian Americans have reported hateful incidents targeting them due to the spread of the coronavirus.

Calling National Guard On BLM Protestors

Photo: In These Times

During the 2020 peaceful George Floyd protests, then-President Donald Trump sent thousands of National Guard troops to D.C. He also deployed numerous unidentified federal law officersโ€”most from Department of Homeland Securityโ€”to protestors in Portland, Oregon which led to avoidable and unnecessary injuries.

Kamala Harris Birtherism Claims

Photo: NPR

Similar to his Obama birtherism lies, Trump falsely suggested before the 2-2020 election that VP Kamala Harrisโ€”the first Black woman to hold the positionโ€”did not โ€œmeet the requirementsโ€ to be President Joe Bidenโ€™s running mate.

January 6 Riot

Photo: The New York Times

On January 6, 2021 following Trump hosting a rally with his most loyal supporters, they violently stormed the Capitol in an attempt to hold onto presidential power. The mob broke through police barricades and within 36 hours of the attack, five people died.

Hitler Rhetoric

Photo: PBS

As Trump sets his sights on the Oval Office once again, he has repeatedly used Hitler rhetoric when stating that immigrants are โ€œpoisoning the blood of our country. Hitler once said that Jewish blood were โ€œpoisoningโ€ Aryan German blood to justify the Holocaust. Trump feigned ignorance and said he didnโ€™t understand the inhumane reference.

Black People Can Relate To Trump Criminally

Photo: Al Jazeera

Last year, Trump spoke at the Black Conservative Federation Gala in Columbia, South Carolina. During his speech, he said Black Americans can relate because of unfair treatment in the criminal justice system. โ€œI got indicted a second time and a third time and a fourth time and a lot of people said that thatโ€™s why the Black people like me because they have been hurt so badly and discriminated against. And they actually viewed me as Iโ€™m being discriminated against. Itโ€™s been pretty amazing,โ€ Trump shockingly said.

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