Jared Kushner says Black people must ‘want to be successful’
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presidential adviser Jared Kushner said Monday that President Donald Trump wants to help Black people in America, but they have to “want to be successful” for his policies to work.
“President Trump’s policies are the policies that can help people break out of the problems that they’re complaining about, but he can’t want them to be successful more than they want to be successful,” Kushner said on “Fox & Friends.”
Jared Kushner on the Black community: “President Trump’s policies are the policies that can help people break out of the problems that they’re complaining about, but he can’t want them to be successful more than that they want to be successful.” pic.twitter.com/SX9vWiAfag
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 26, 2020
Kushner, who is also Trump’s son-in-law, also criticized prominent people who raised their voices after the killing of George Floyd, a Black man who died in police custody, but then didn’t follow through and work to find ways to improve the lives of Black people in America.
“You saw a lot of people who were just virtue signaling — they go on Instagram and cry, or they would, you know, put a slogan on their jersey or write something on a basketball court,” Kushner said. “Quite frankly, that was doing more to polarize the country than it was to bring people forward. You solve problems with solutions.”
Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., accused Kushner of “casual racism.” Former Democratic National Committee Chair Donna Brazile wrote on Twitter: “He’s talking to folks who have suffered and endured systemic racism and historic tokenism.”
Born on third base, thinks he hit a triple. Few in US history have been given as much wealth or power without having to earn a thing as Jared Kushner. His father-in-law gave him the position he is failing at miserably, with deadly consequences. We will remember his casual racism. https://t.co/V8pZxFsfow
— Rep. Don Beyer (@RepDonBeyer) October 26, 2020
#JaredKushner disparages Black Americans’ concerns of inequality as ‘complaining’ https://t.co/D5G3M4yEO6 via @nbcnews
Right, if we want to be successful. He’s talking to folks who have suffered and endured systemic racism and historic tokenism. Geez us, we just better vote.
— Donna Brazile (@donnabrazile) October 26, 2020
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany defended Kushner, saying that “internet trolls” took Kushner’s words out of context. She said they were trying to distract from Trump’s “undeniable record of accomplishment” for Black people.
Trump, who has been trying to appeal to the Black community, has been promoting his attempts to set up economic opportunity zones, provide steady funding for historically Black colleges and universities, and institute criminal justice reforms.
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