Welp #Roommates, things just got real for Trump during a recent appearance to appeal to the black vote…and it backfired big time. While speaking at an HBCU, he was likely expecting at least some sort of crowd—but instead was greeted with an audience of less than 10 people.
According to @Newsweek, Trump was the recent guest speaker at the 20/20 Bipartisan Justice Center, an event all about the criminal justice reform platform he is using to obtain the black vote for next year’s election. However, the event was held at HBCU Benedict College in South Carolina—and only seven students were in attendance.
Around 300 tickets were available to students and faculty for the event, with half reserved for guests of the Trump administration. Additionally, 10 tickets were made available for Benedict students and 25 tickets were for the South Carolina GOP. Columbia, South Carolina Mayor Steve Benjamin initially stated that the auditorium for the event had a capacity of 275, and he even attempted to move the event to a larger space to allow more attendees, since he, like Trump, thought the event would be filled to capacity.
There were also reports that students were asked to remain in their dorm rooms while Trump was on campus, citing safety concerns. Classes were not held after 2 p.m. and protests gathered at the college’s gates.
South Carolina NAACP President Brenda C. Murphy criticized his inclusion in the event, stating:
“What an unexpected, unpleasant situation for students, the community and many citizens of this state to experience after his insensitive remarks regarding being ‘lynched’ by the Democratic Party. What a hell of a statement to make.”
Trump’s presence at the event resulted in Senator Kamala Harris dropping out, she tweeted “I won’t be complicit in papering over Trump’s record” to explain her absence. The 20/20 Bipartisan Justice Center is an organization founded by 20 black Democrats and 20 black Republicans and aims to “empower local leaders to implement innovative and practical solutions to problems in the criminal justice system.”
Roommates, what are your thoughts on this?
