President Donald Trump and Black History Month might not seem like a natural pairing, yet the current president recently hosted a reception to commemorate the occasion, featuring notable figures like golfer Tiger Woods. Despite his first and second administrations making significant efforts to end DEI programs, discredit critical race theory, control discussions of race in classrooms, and undermine civil rights, he used the occasion to honor Black Americans and their contributions to the nation.
This reflects the often-confusing dichotomy of Trump and his presidencies, where his actions can sometimes contradict his words. Bomani Jones, who appeared on this week’s edition of CNN Saturday Morning Table for Five, speculated why someone with a troubling history regarding the treatment of Black people would make such an effort. Jones suggested that Trump’s appointees might be acting out of fear of contradicting what they believe he wants, saying, “Let’s operate under this assumption: You may think that Black History Month is okay, but you’re terrified of being the person that says it’s okay because everything you hear implies that it’s not okay. So you play it safe and say, ‘Sorry, we’re not doing Black History Month over here.’”
The host of The Right Time with Bomani Jones turned his focus to Trump, suggesting that while the president may not genuinely admire Black people, he desires their approval. “I think Trump becomes interesting because he reminds me of many people I’ve met; I’m uncertain of his feelings towards Black people, but he really likes the idea of them liking him. His ego thrives on that notion,” Jones remarked. He elaborated that Trump enjoys having figures like Tiger Woods and Kodak Black together to affirm his worth, stating, “It makes all the sense in the world for him to do this as he has.”
Analyzing Donald Trump’s psyche is challenging, but comparing his words to his actions lends some credibility to Jones’s theory.
