Those who get their news from the biased mainstream media would naturally assume that Donald Trump is some sort of vicious, racist monster whose goal it is to oppress minorities.
Of course, a cursory review of Trump’s actual statements and policies over the course of his adult life prove such claims are utterly false. And one former leader of the Black Panther Party wants to set the record straight.
As the Daily Mail reported:
A former high-ranking member of the notorious Black Panther Party gave a surprising endorsement to recently convicted Donald Trump and insisted the presidential hopeful is ‘not a racist.’
David Hilliard, a founding member of the civil rights organization, said in a TikTok posted on Monday that he met Trump during the 1960s in New York City and called the former president a ‘decent man.’
In the past, critics have accused Trump of being racist. But he has been surging in popularity among black voters, according to recent polling.
In the video posted by Carol Mitchell, an 82-year old Hilliard said Trump is an ally to African Americans.
‘Trump is a person who’s a decent man, and he supported the Black Panther Party,’ Hilliard said. ‘He was someone who gave us money.’
ADVERTISEMENT‘He’s a friend to African Americans,’ he said. ‘I mean he’s not a racist. He’s not a racist, fascist, white man. He supported Black people.’
News of the somewhat surprising remarks quickly spread via social media:
🚨 EXPLOSIVE: Corporate Media and Democrats Will Never Show You the Newly Released Interview with Former Black Panther Party Chief of Staff David Hilliard Discussing Trump, But I Will.
It would be a shame if it went viral. pic.twitter.com/gZVzxoJpId
— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) June 3, 2024
This is HUGE Breaking News:
David Hilliard a founding member of the Black Panthers is backing Trump calling him an “ally of the Black population!”
BPs have a huge influence on the community. Black people in general do. If they wake up it’ll be the kill shot we need for 2024! pic.twitter.com/yVzNqfMMeX
— Freed Omring🇺🇸🦅 (@LandOfTheTweets) June 5, 2024
While news reports described Hilliard’s remarks as an endorsement, an individual who identified himself as the former activist’s grandson said the octogenarian’s comments have been taken out of context.
The lady who interviewed my Grandfather did so without any permission. This was done to take advantage of my Grandfather who suffers from dementia and create a fake narrative in which he endorses/supports Trump in today’s political climate.
David Hilliard does not support… pic.twitter.com/UwFf8Tk65m
— My X account ☠️🏴☠️ (@Cozy4Eva) June 5, 2024
According to the New York Post:
Hilliard’s grandson Eric Jones heavily criticized Mitchell on X Tuesday, saying that “without any permission” she made the interview public with his grandfather, who Jones said “suffers from dementia.”
Jones, sitting next to Hilliard, added that his grandfather’s comments were “purely speaking in terms of the past.”
“That is not a nod of support to any of today’s political climate, and with Donald Trump and with any other candidate,” Jones said, to which Hilliard added: “That is correct.”
ADVERTISEMENTIn a separate post, Jones said his grandfather “does not even know Trump is a politician. He has been dealing with cognitive issues since 2014. He can only recall the past.”
Regardless of whether it was an actual endorsement or not, Hilliard’s words further illustrate the increasing support Trump is receiving from the Black community, particularly in light of the staggering criminal convictions recently handed down against the presumptive GOP presidential nominee.
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