Trump team makes final appeal to Black voters

Team Trump is issuing a final appeal to Black voters as millions around the nation cast their ballots for the next president.

In a video with Janiyah Thomas, the Trump campaign's director of Black media, the campaign argues it has prioritized Black voters throughout the election cycle.

“Trump and Team Trump have been dedicated to the Black community, meeting in our neighborhoods, listening to our voices, hopes and fears as we work to make America great again, not only for us, but for future generations,” Thomas says in the video. “To President Trump, you are not just voters. You are the heart and very soul of this great nation.”

Though Black voters overwhelmingly identify as Democrats, Trump has been working to cut into that support this year. He has focused heavily on Black male voters, a large portion of whom are disappointed with the Democratic Party.

A University of Chicago GenForward poll in October found that 26 percent of Black men between the ages of 18 and 40 said they would vote for Trump, though a majority of the voting bloc still identified Vice President Harris as the best candidate to address issues impacting them and their families.

But just days later, the Alliance for Black Equality found Harris had increased her support by 10 percentage points among Black Generation Z men since early October.

Part of that may have come from the Democratic nominee stepping up her outreach to Black men; she has spent the last few weeks of the campaign promoting her “Opportunity Agenda for Black Men,” joining radio star Charlamagne tha God and visiting barbershops around the country.

But, Thomas says in the video, Harris’s promises are “hollow.”

“President Trump has been focused on what truly matters to Black families and all families: tackling inflation, strengthening job security and ensuring safe communities,” Thomas said.

She hit Harris for the celebrity power she has been bringing to the campaign trail, including former President Obama, who chastised Black men for not wanting to support the vice president.

“That isn’t empowerment, it's intimidation. It's a direct insult to our intelligence, and they are questioning our ability to think for ourselves,” Thomas said. “Black people deserve a leader who empowers us, not a leader who wants to control us. We deserve more than words. We deserve a leader who delivers results. Kamala may have broken our country, but Trump will fix it.”

“President Trump doesn't see you as an enemy or a number on a voting sheet,” she added. “He sees you as part of the backbone and soul of America. This election isn't just about policy. It's about the vision we have for this country and our communities. It's about who sees your worth, who sees your potential and who will work beside you to build a brighter future.”