President Trump has often invoked his unnamed Black friends, or name-checked celebrities and athletes, when asked to discuss anything related to Black voters.

During a Black History Month event at the White House last week, President Trump wanted to make one thing very clear: Some of his “great friends” are Black.

Rattling off names in no particular order, Mr. Trump praised the rapper Nicki Minaj, remarking on her nails and her “beautiful skin”; Jesse Jackson, the civil rights icon who had died just days before, calling him a “real hero” and a “piece of work”; the “silent but deadly” civil rights activist and football star Jim Brown; Lawrence Taylor, the “greatest defensive player, probably in the history of football”; and Muhammad Ali, “another piece of work.”

By the time Mr. Trump got around to mentioning the boxer Mike Tyson, the purpose of this seemingly random list of Black friends became clear.

“Mike Tyson, boy I tell you, Mike has been loyal to me,” Mr. Trump said. “Whenever they come out, they say ‘Trump is a racist, Trump’s a racist,’ Mike Tyson goes, ‘He’s not a racist, he’s my friend, he’s been there from the beginning, good times and bad.’ But Mike Tyson’s a great guy, and he was so loyal. Always been loyal.”

MBFC
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