President Donald Trump Reportedly Thought Only Black People Were On Welfare
The President of the United States is required to know a lot of things to run the country. But it sounds like Donald Trump hardly knew anything about one of America’s most popular social support programs: welfare. In an embarrassing moment, Trump reportedly didn’t know that black people aren’t the only recipients of the program.
Trump Believes Only Black People Are On Welfare
According to Newsweek, Trump met with representatives from the Congressional Black Caucus to discuss matters of welfare in the early months of his administration. One of the members of the group told Trump that reforming welfare might hurt some of her constituents, saying “Not all of whom are black.”
Trump couldn’t believe the comment.
“Really? Then what are they?” he responded.
Who Receives The Most Welfare?
Unbeknownst to Trump, most people that receive government aid through programs like welfare, officially known as the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, are white. In fact, whites between the ages of 18 and 64 comprise the bulk of such programs and benefit the most from it.
In 2014 alone, some 6.2 million white people rose above the poverty line through the welfare program. In comparison, 2.8 million blacks and 2.4 million Hispanics came out of poverty that same year. The statistics are similar to other social programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also referred to as food stamps.
Starting from 1973, when the DOJ sued him for denying black people's rental applications and he claimed the govt was trying to force him to rent to "welfare recipients," @LisaDNews found nearly 100 critical comments. https://t.co/YzFVtxB2hQ
— Kamala Kelkar (@kkelkar) January 13, 2018
Trump Seeks Welfare Reform In 2018
Trump has made welfare reform one of his top initiatives for this year. The president is teaming up with Republicans in Congress to overhaul the government’s social support programs, like welfare, SNAP, housing benefits, and Medicaid.
Trump’s Controversial Comments About Africa
This isn’t the first time Trump has been oblivious about race. He also allegedly made comments about turning away African immigrants because he believes they are coming from places that are “sh**holes” and “sh**houses.” Trump denies ever having made the comments, and his press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, is making a big push to prove that he isn’t racist.
“I think it is an outrageous claim, and frankly I think if the critics of the President were who he said he was, why did NBC give him a show for a decade on TV?” Sanders shared.
Despite the insistence that he did not make the comments, multiple people who were there verify that he indeed made the comments.
Is Trump A Racist
The idea that Trump isn’t racist because he had a reality television show is far-fetched. Television networks do not screen people and ask them if they are racist before giving them a show. Therefore, individuals like Phil Robertson from Duck Dynasty can hold controversial views and remain in front of the cameras.
Donald Trump has not commented on the welfare rumors. Given his activity on Twitter, however, it’s probably only a matter of time before he goes on blast.