Black GOP Allies of Trump Face Setbacks Amid Cabinet Snubs and Internal Tensions
Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., at the Black Conservative Federation’s Annual BCF Honors Gala in Columbia, SC., on Feb. 23.Andrew Harnik / AP file
Despite their high-profile support for Donald Trump during his campaign, many of his Black allies in the GOP have seen little reward as the president-elect prepares to take office, Tatyana Tandanpolie wrote for Salon. While Trump garnered attention for prominent Black surrogates such as Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), their efforts have not translated into the Cabinet positions or influence they sought.
“Black ultraconservative elected officials like Florida Rep. Byron Donalds and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott frequently joined Trump on the campaign trail, boosting the then-candidate’s outreach to the Black electorate as they sat on the shortlist for his vice presidential pick,” Tandanpolie wrote.
Yet, “their efforts to curry favor with the would-be president-elect didn’t materialize in sought-after Cabinet positions despite the president-elect’s promises to reward his most loyal supporters with high-ranking roles in his administration.”
Instead, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance was selected as Trump’s running mate, and only one Black person has been tapped for a Cabinet role: Scott Turner, a relatively unknown former Texas lawmaker, motivational speaker, and ex-football player, who will head the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Turner replaces Ben Carson, the neurosurgeon who held the position during Trump’s first term.
Adding to the setbacks for Black Republicans, Mark Robinson, a rising GOP star and former lieutenant governor of North Carolina, faced an abrupt fall from grace. His gubernatorial campaign was derailed by the surfacing of online posts in which he referred to himself as a “Black Nazi,” leading to his abandonment by GOP leadership.
Despite the lack of diversity in Trump’s Cabinet nominations, his Black supporters have largely stayed loyal. Donald told CNN, “If the Cabinet picks help deliver the America First agenda that Donald Trump wants, this will be an unmitigated success, and every American will be happy with that.”
However, not everyone is convinced. Leo Smith, a Black GOP political strategist, told Tandanpolie that voters are scrutinizing Trump’s Black surrogates, questioning their motives and impact. “Are these people performing like minstrels?” Smith asked, “Or are these people actually political negotiators who are putting themselves at the table of power… to deliver some critical results to Black America?”
The tension reflects broader challenges for Black Republicans navigating their roles within Trump’s administration and the GOP’s evolving relationship with Black voters.
