“Done More for the Black Individual Than Abraham Lincoln” Trump’s Controversial Claim at NRA Convention
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At the National Rifle Association convention, former President Donald Trump made a bold and controversial claim, stating that he had “done more for the Black individual” than Abraham Lincoln. Speaking to conservatives at the NRA Leadership Forum in Dallas on Saturday, Trump positioned himself as an ally of the Black community, carefully referring to himself in the third person while highlighting the achievements of his first term in office.
A particular segment of his speech has gone viral on social media platform X, where Trump asserted, “And honestly, there’s been no president since Abraham Lincoln, perhaps in a certain way including Abraham Lincoln, that has done more for the Black individual in this country than Donald J. Trump. Nobody. Not even close.” This statement has ignited a storm of criticism online, with many users calling him out for what they view as a distorted portrayal of his record on racial issues.
One user shared the viral clip and reminded people of Trump’s past, writing, “In case people forgot, Donald Trump was first indicted in 1973 by the Nixon DOJ for violating Civil Rights laws with his discriminatory real estate practices. He marked applications by Black people with a C for ‘colored,’ so they would not be rented to.” This comment references the historical allegations against Trump for racial discrimination in housing.
Other users compiled instances where Trump has been criticized for racist behavior, sharing headlines such as “Donald Trump’s Long History of Racism” and “Trump Attacks on Prosecutors Echo Long History of Racist Language.” One user highlighted Trump’s response to protests, tweeting, “NOTHING. He did NOTHING for the Black community other than send in the National Guard during their peaceful protests. Professional provocateurs were sent in by someone to cause chaos.”
Another pointed out past controversial statements made by Trump, including his full-page ad calling for the execution of the now-exonerated Central Park Five and his directive for four Black congresswomen to “go back to where they came from.” This tweet referenced a 2019 incident reported by AP News, where Trump told Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib, and Ilhan Omar to return to their “broken and crime-infested” home countries.
In February, a clip from Trump’s address at the Black Conservative Federation banquet also stirred controversy. In this speech, he suggested that Black Americans admired him despite his criminal charges, saying, “I got indicted and a lot of people said t that’s why the Black people like me.” According to Snopes, Trump added, “Black conservatives understand better than most that some of the greatest evils in our nation’s history have come from corrupt systems that try to target and subjugate others to deny them their freedom and to deny them their rights. […] I think that’s why the Black people are so much on my side now because they see what’s happening to me happens to them.”
Trump’s statements at the NRA convention and the subsequent reactions highlight the deeply polarized views on his legacy and impact on racial issues. As his comments continue to circulate and spark debate, the former president remains a highly controversial figure in American politics.
