Racism in the U.S. presidency is nothing new
Clayton, Sharon E. Moore, and Sharon D. Jones-Eversley, U.S. presidents have long used racist policies to maintain white supremacy, but no modern leader has weaponized racism as blatantly as Donald Trump. His presidency has been an unrelenting assault on racial progress, civil rights, and the very idea of a multiracial democracy.
In 2016, the National Council on Black American Affairs identified the 11 most racist U.S. presidents, citing their policies, actions and rhetoric that have harmed Black and marginalized communities. Among them were:
- Andrew Johnson (1865-1869), who opposed Black suffrage, supported the Black Codes, and tried to undo Reconstruction efforts.
- Andrew Jackson (1829-1837), who championed the Indian Removal Act and upheld slavery at all costs.
- Ronald Reagan (1981-1989), who fueled the “welfare queen” stereotype and escalated the war on drugs, which disproportionately targeted Black communities.
- Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921), who segregated the federal workforce and praised the Ku Klux Klan.
- George W. Bush (2001-2009), whose administration’s disastrous response to Hurricane Katrina and economic policies devastated Black communities.
Trump’s latest display of overt bigotry came in the aftermath of the Jan. 29 plane crash at Reagan National Airport, which killed over 60 people, including families from Massachusetts. Instead of offering condolences or waiting for an investigation, Trump immediately blamed the tragedy on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, a reaction so grotesque that it even stunned those accustomed to his incendiary rhetoric.
Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley was among those who forcefully condemned his remarks. “More of the same, shameful, deplorable, and disgusting, but nothing new. I mean, they blame DEI for wildfires,” Pressley stated.
“They blame DEI for everything, every bit of harm that we experienced that they have been an architect of. They’re the only ones they don’t hold accountable, and they’re the ones sowing this division.”
She added: “And that’s why Dr. King said, ‘Power without love is reckless.’ He is a reckless, lawless, dangerous man, and at a time of tragedy when he should be a salve and a balm, and a source of confidence for these grieving families and for the country, this is what he does? More of the same.
The Congressional Black Caucus issued a statement condemning Trump’s remarks: “President Trump, without evidence or regard for the gravity and solemnity of this incident in which American lives were lost, held a press conference to falsely blame the diversity initiatives of past administrations for the cause of this incident. Not only are the President’s claims untrue, but they also speak to the Republican Party’s desire to divide us as a country.”
The statement further read, “To be clear, diversity, equity, and inclusion are American values. Diversity policies work to benefit all Americans who have traditionally been kept out of opportunities, including white women, veterans, and aging Americans, not just the Black and minority communities that Trump and Republicans want to scapegoat and villainize for political gain. We are not going back!”
Tristan Snell, the prosecutor of Trump University, summarized, “Things that caused the DC plane crash: — Having 1 air traffic controller do a job 2 people normally do, because of far-right efforts to destroy the government. Things that did NOT cause the DC crash: — Women — Black people — Pete Buttigieg — DEI programs generally.”
Trump’s DEI scapegoating is not just rhetoric — it is policy. One of his first executive orders after taking office on Inauguration Day was the eradication of DEI programs in the federal government, describing them as “radical and wasteful” and “illegal and immoral.” The order mandated that federal agencies identify contractors and grantees engaging in DEI-related policies, including environmental justice.
The next day Trump expanded this assault into the private sector, directing federal civil rights enforcement to target any institution promoting DEI. His administration created a tip line for government employees to report colleagues engaging in DEI-related activities and ordered the closure of diversity-focused offices, placing those employees on administrative leave.
Trump’s presidency has already demonstrated the consequences of racial scapegoating at the highest levels of power. From his Muslim travel ban to his defense of white supremacists in Charlottesville, to his birtherism conspiracy against Barack Obama, to his attempts to overturn a democratic election by targeting votes in Black-majority cities, Trump has built a legacy of racist governance.
His war on DEI is the logical extension of that legacy, an attempt to codify white nationalist grievances into federal law. And as Pressley warned, his attacks aren’t just aimed at Black people — they target veterans, women, the LGBTQ community, and anyone else who doesn’t fit the MAGA vision of America.
“They are coming for everyone,” Pressley said. “But I believe in the power of the people.”
As the National Council on Black Affairs noted in its 2016 report, “Racism in the presidency is not a relic of the past — it is an evolving force that continues to shape policy, exclude communities, and reinforce inequality. The only way forward is through collective resistance and the unyielding pursuit of justice.”
Stacy M. Brown is National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) Newswire senior correspondent