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Donald Trump’s campaign has come under heavy criticism following a social media post that was described as “comically racist” and less subtle than a Klu Klux Klan rally by social media users.
The outrage stemmed from a post on social media put out by the Trump War Room on Tuesday morning which showed two images side-side-by-side. One showed a suburban house with an American flag outside, while the other showed a large group of people, most of whom were Black, sitting on what appeared to be a street curb.
The people on the curb were African immigrants outside a shelter in New York City.
The first image was captioned “Your neighborhood under Trump,” while the second was captioned “Your neighborhood under Kamala.”
“Import the Third World. Become the Third World,” the post read.
Social media users were quick to react with outrage and disbelief to the post, with one writing: “This is one of the most racist posts I’ve ever seen. Wow.”
Another added: “The racism is off the charts here!”
“So the strategy is “we hate Black people,” wrote one user, with another adding: “The pivot: ‘just do explicit racism now’.”
“There have been Klan rallies which employed more subtlety than this,” another wrote. “Oh my God this is comically racist,” wrote another user.
Civil rights organization the NAACP also weighed in on the post, writing in response: “Don’t just take our word for it. They are showing all of us just how racist they are. This is what’s on the ballot this November.”
Tuesday’s social media post comes following Trump’s disastrous appearance at the National Association of Black Journalists convention late last month.
The former president was asked by ABC News correspondent Rachel Scott about his history of false claims about his rivals and his inflammatory remarks to officials and reporters of color.
“Why would Black voters trust you when you have used language like that?” she asked. “I don’t think I’ve been asked a question in such a horrible manner,” Trump replied. “You don’t even say hello, how are you.”
He later said that he had appeared at the event as “a favor” and “out of respect for the Black community.”
During his appearance at the conference, Trump also baselessly questioned Vice President Kamala Harris’s racial identity and falsely claimed that she only recently “made a turn” and “became a Black person.” “She happened to turn Black, and now she wants to be known as Black. So I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black?” he said, prompting outrage from those present.
Trump’s remarks were later widely condemned as racist by members of both parties, and in a statement, Harris’ campaign communications director said Trump “showed ... the same hostility he has shown throughout his life, throughout his term in office.”
At a campaign event in Texas, Harris condemned her rival as putting on “the same old show of divisiveness,” telling her audience, “the American people deserve better.”
The Independent has contacted the Trump campaign for comment about the post on X and the backlash.
