1 month ago
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President Donald Trump puzzled people on Wednesday with his rambling reply to a question about his targeting of Harvard University.
During a NewsNation town hall, ESPN host and potential 2028 presidential hopeful Stephen A. Smith asked Trump ― who called in to the event ― to explain his administration’s threat to withhold funding to the institution, partly in protest of its so-called diversity, equity and inclusion practices.
But Trump responded with comments about the New York neighborhood of Harlem, which was once considered the capital of Black America.
asked by Stephen A. Smith about his Harvard shakedown, Trump starts ranting about Harlem and says "I got a very high Black vote" pic.twitter.com/ZoKFaAx7xs
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 1, 2025Trump said: “We had riots in Harlem, in Harlem, and frankly, if you look at what’s gone on, and people from Harlem went up and they protested, Stephen. And they protested very strongly against Harvard. They happened to be on my side. You know, I got a very high Black vote. You know that. Very, very high Black vote. It was a very great compliment.”
Trump weaved rambled a little bit more before actually referencing the university by appearing to claim that Black people “agree with what I’m doing with respect to Harvard.”
Critics on social media had… thoughts.
But then at the end he segues to Harvard—after an aide obviously put a HARVARD NOT HARLEM note in front of him.
— Kurt Andersen (@KBAndersen) May 1, 2025He literally conflated Harvard with Harlem.
— Tao Te Tom (@ThereAreNoStars) May 1, 2025Took me twice to get that he had mixed up Harvard and Harlem bc it’s that stupid
— Meghan McCarthy (@MeghanMcCarthy_) May 1, 2025I just learned that Black people in Harlem completely agree with Trump’s policy on Harvard, and they all love Trump. Steven A really kicking ass at this whole politics thing too. https://t.co/HcHr9bwSCw
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) May 1, 2025We Won't Back Down
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Donald Trump has been in office for 100 days. Our newsroom has stood strong — fearless, unflinching, and relentless in pursuit of the truth. And we're not stopping now. Would you support our mission during this critical time in our nation's history?
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So weird
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) May 1, 2025phone interviews with bad reception combined with a dramatic weave. The looks on the faces of the hosts says it all https://t.co/pZNseDtrCP
— Sam Stein (@samstein) May 1, 2025
English (US) ·