The United States President Donald Trump has hosted an hour conversation on Thursday (May 21), with some African-American leaders at an auto plant in Michigan on how his administration will be of economic assistance to the Black community. Sequel to the presidential visit, concerns were raised as to why Black leaders whose preponderance of national influencers are in Detroit weren’t present at the discussion meeting.
Michigan has more than 53,000 COVID-19 cases and 5,100 deaths, according to data, and eye brows have been raised as to why Trump didn’t wear a face mask at the meeting, which is in line with the directive of the White House COVID-19 Task Force proclamation on the compulsory wearing of face mask in public places. The group of about nine, sat spaced apart to observe social distancing measures, included part of the White House staff, supporters, business community leaders, a healthcare executive and a representative from the Michigan state legislature along with HUD Secretary Dr. Ben Carson, who hails from Detroit. Carson’s presence in the meeting was in respect to his tour to the Ford Rawsonville Components plant in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Located about 35 minutes east of Detroit, the plant has been equipped to make ventilators for coronavirus patients.
Trump shed more light on his administration’s propagation of aids to the African-American community, but has been short-lived by the novel coronavirus, especially in major cities like Detroit.
Trump went on to appraise Scott Turner, executive director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council, who worked in synergy with South Carolina Senator Tim Scott on their efforts to encourage investment in vulnerable areas. There are several dozen opportunity zones in Detroit alone.
“He had an idea and it was an idea that we took and we made it work,” Trump said, while appreciating Turner.
Also on his appreciation list was a member of the panel, Pastor Darrell Scott, who is his strong supporter in Cleveland, for his role in passing criminal justice reform.
Trump did not cease in bragging about his unemployment figures that have been kept low amongst African-Americans which he acknowledged as the “lowest in history”.
It was also noted by the President that the White House has made funds available for HBCUs, which he said he “saved” in the past. However, leaders of the schools have had divergent views on the fiscal aid of Trump’s administration to the institutions.
In remarks to the President, one of the panelists, John James, a suburban Detroit businessman and Republican U.S. Senate candidate, said that the National Emergency Declaration should be expanded to protect against threats to the economy, and also reiterates Michigan’s preparedness to help save the troubled economy.
“We have the workforce here,” James said. “But we need data, we need training and we need jobs.”
In her own remarks, Karen Whitsett, a Democratic state legislator was in agreement with James and called for more jobs training.
“One of the things I would like to point out is that training is a necessity,” she said. “If we had proper training, then we could change our renters into homeowners, we can change the dynamics of my community, which I have been in since 1969.”
Whitsett, who had initially acclaimed the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine, the drug that Trump route for as a treatment for COVID-19, had “saved her life” noted that she would like to see an HBCU in Detroit. It’s an idea which Trump seemed to support except Detroit was already home to an HBCU, Lewis College of Business, which has been shut since 2013.
The Black community is grateful for this presidential meeting albeit, but the presidency is not explicit enough to ascertain what measures of aid will be employed to reach out to the African-American community.
It would be recalled that the House most recently passed a new $3 trillion aid package which awaits an approval from the Senate.
