In an effort to cater to Black people and increase the number of his Black supporters, President Donald Trump unveiled a plan aimed at increasing capital and creating jobs for the Black community.
As part of Black Economic Empowerment: The Platinum Plan, if re-elected for a second term, the president plans to create three million new jobs for the Black community and create 500,000 Black-owned businesses. The campaign vows to increase educational opportunities for children and bring more integrity to the justice system.
Trump also plans to “prosecute the KKK and Antifa as terrorist organizations” and declare lynching a national hate crime among a few other initiatives.
While Trump panders to Black voters with the Platinum Plan, the president has failed to empathize with some of the issues experienced by Black people.
Recently, Trump admitted he didn’t know enough about the Breonna Taylor case to comment on it. He also defended Kyle Rittenhouse after he shot and killed protesters at a Jacob Blake demonstration.
“He was trying to get away from them, I guess … and he fell,” Trump said, citing videos from the protest. “And then, they very violently attacked him…He was in very big trouble,” he said. “He probably would’ve been killed, but it’s under investigation.”
Following the death of Congressman John Lewis, Trump also failed to acknowledge his legacy.
“I really don’t know [how John Lewis will be remembered],” Trump said. “I really didn’t know John Lewis. He chose not to come to my inauguration. I never met John Lewis, actually.” When asked specifically whether Lewis’ legacy was “impressive,” he responded, “He was a person that devoted a lot of energy and a lot of heart to civil rights, but there were many others who did, too.”
Ahead of Trump’s revelation of his agenda for Black America, presidential candidate Joe Biden issued a statement about his own plans for Black families.
“We are in a battle for the soul of our nation, and the stakes of this election could not be higher. Congressman John Lewis understood that part of being an American means doing what we can, with the time we have, to achieve the promise of our nation — that we are all created equal and deserve to be treated equally,” he said.
“As president, I will work to advance racial equity across the American economy and build back better. I promise to fight for Black working families and direct real investments to advance racial equity as part of our nation’s economic recovery.”