September 21, 2025

As the 2024 elections heat up, Donald Trump threw a fiery warning: Black Americans are getting fired like never before, and things could get worse if he didn’t return to the White House. "You should demand that they give you the numbers of how many Black people are going to lose their job," Trump said during one of his last rallies before the vote. But guess what? Trump returned in January 2025, and the black community’s money troubles have only deepened. Black unemployment jumped from 6.2% to 7.5%, hitting the highest point since October 2021. Homeownership among Black families dropped to its lowest since 2021, says top real estate firm Redfin. Even worse, median Black household income slid 3.3% last year to $56,020, which is about $36,000 less than white households earn, according to the Census Bureau. This rising racial wealth gap isn’t just numbers; it’s a major red flag for the economy and politics. Angela Hanks, former financial watchdog and now at The Century Foundation, calls Black Americans "the canary in the coal mine" – early warning for layoffs in other groups too. The Trump White House says these declines began during Joe Biden’s time and blasts Biden's "lunatic obsession with DEI" (diversity, equity, inclusion) as a flop for Black wealth. White House spokesman Kush Desai said, "His inflationary policies caused interest rate hikes that froze Americans out of homeownership, and his open borders policies flooded the country with tens of millions of illegals who drove down wages." But some Black voters disagree and say Trump’s government is hurting regular Americans. Josh Garrett, a 30-year-old from Florida, pointed out, "I don't understand how you could be for the American people and have Americans lose their jobs when they have families, have bills." While Black households suffer, white households are holding steady or even growing wealth thanks to the stock market. Experts warn Trump’s tariffs and spending cuts hit vulnerable groups hard now but may harm others soon. Adding fuel to the fire, recent federal layoffs hit Black workers hardest because they make up a big chunk of government jobs. Trump also plans to send National Guard troops to cities run by Black mayors like Chicago and Baltimore. He wants to redraw districts to weaken Black voters' voices and downplay slavery and segregation history in museums. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott slammed this, saying, "In these places, these people are incapable of governing themselves... it's partly due to how we look." These economic troubles could lead to more crime, reversing progress in city safety, Scott warns. Black voters hold the key to elections. Trump doubled his support among them from 8% in 2020 to 16% in 2024, mainly due to concerns about inflation and jobs. Thirty-six percent of Black voters in 2024 said the economy was the top issue, up from 11% in 2020. Yet, many feel let down now. Politicians like Alexsis Rodgers from The Black Futures Lab say, "People believed his promises about the cost of eggs, the cost of housing. They've seen the focus instead is on ICE raids and downsizing the government." The bottom line? Trump had a mission: fix the economy for the middle class, including Black Americans. But today, many feel he’s missing the mark, risking his political future and their economic hopes. Will the American Dream keep slipping away or get a fresh spark? Only time will tell.

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Tags: Donald trump, Black unemployment, Racial wealth gap, 2024 election, Economic challenges, Black voters,