Marcus W. Robinson, Senior Spokesperson | Democratic National Committee | Today, we honor our Presidents and celebrate their contributions to the American story.
Unfortunately, this year and for the next three years, Donald Trump will remind this nation of the harm that a President can cause when he is more interested in lining his own pockets than helping people.
For Black Americans, the first Trump Presidency spelled disaster, and so far, his second presidency is more of the same. Look no further than Trump’s first month in office, where he has made it clear that he has no meaningful plans to make life better for Black communities.
In fact, his first actions have demonstrated that he’ll do the exact opposite. And it’s more than just his shameful erasure of Black history across the federal government.
From taking action to raise prices and dismantle critical federal programs to even freezing funds to Head Start — Trump’s second term is already making things worse at an alarming rate, and Black communities will be disproportionately affected. We saw the devastating effects on Black families during Trump’s first presidency, and his warp-speed attack on programs and services families rely on is a recipe for disaster.
These are just a few highlights in Trump’s crusade against Black communities, including:
- Rescinding President Biden’s historic actions to lower prescription drug costs for Medicaid and Medicare recipients, which could raise prices for the roughly 40% of Black Americans who rely on public health care programs for coverage.
- Signing an order freezing Bipartisan Infrastructure Law money, which is helping revitalize our nation’s infrastructure — including by replacing lead pipes, whose effects are disproportionately felt by Black communities.
- Putting Medicaid — which provides health care to nearly 40% of Black Americans — on the chopping block to fund tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy.
- Pushing to expand our reliance on fossil fuels — disproportionately harming Black communities who already bear the brunt of the impacts of climate change.
- Freezing funds secured in the Inflation Reduction Act, taking away good-paying infrastructure jobs for tens of thousands of Black workers.
- Shuttering the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which has worked to tackle practices that have disproportionately targeted Black Americans, like overdraft fees.
- Weakening anti-discrimination policies in hiring by dismantling the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
- Backing a budget proposal that would gut Medicaid in order to finance a tax handout for the rich — which would be particularly devastating for expecting Black families, two-thirds of whom rely on Medicaid to cover childbirth.
It is clear that when given the choice between uplifting communities of color or his billionaire cronies — Donald Trump will side with the ultra-wealthy every time.