(8 Nov 2019) US President Donald Trump looked to win over African-American voters Friday as he launched a new "Black Voices for Trump" outreach initiative in Atlanta. Trump's campaign said the initiative is dedicated to "recruiting and activating Black Americans in support of President Trump," and said much of the effort will focus on highlighting ways that African Americans have benefited from the Trump economy.
Speaking to a crowd of supporters, many wearing "BLACK LIVES MAGA" hats, Trump said the support from the African American community has been "overwhelming."
Trump cited crime problems in the nation's major cities, saying the vast majority of the nation's most dangerous cities are run by Democrats.
He also tried to pit the black community against immigrants, saying Democrats care more for people who have come to the U.S. illegally than African Americans.
He said Democrats "threw open America's borders to the deadly drugs and ruthless gangs" and passed "crime bills that devastated" black communities.
Trump told the crowd, "They've dismissed you. They've hurt you and they've sabotaged you for far too long. It's time."
In 2016, 6% of black voters supported Trump, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of people who participated in its polls and were confirmed to have voted.
There is no indication his support is growing.
Polling shows that African Americans continue to be overwhelmingly negative in their assessments of the president's performance, with his approval hovering around 1 in 10 over the course of his presidency, according to Gallup.
Yet Trump's campaign dismissed the numbers, insisting the campaign has seen favorable movement and arguing the president can increase his margins with black voters by bringing new people into the fold.
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