Centre Square Following the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, there has been an outpouring of support from former Democrats, former Democratic donors and celebrities.
Amber Rose, a black TV personality who once thought Trump was a racist, supported him at the Republican National Convention. When asked why she changed her mind, she said, “The media has lied to us about Donald Trump. I believed those lies, and I'm here to expose the truth.” She said she had done her own research and met with Trump supporters, saying, “That's when I was shocked. This is where I belong.”
She continued, “The left told me to hate Trump, and even worse, to hate the other side and those who support him. Cut through the lies and you'll see the truth: American families were better when Donald Trump was President. We were safer, wealthier and stronger. A vote for Donald Trump is a vote for money in our pockets and good food on our children's tables.”
“That's how you change the composition of the electorate,” CNN senior political commentator Scott Jennings said.
Another CNN commentator, Van Jones, called Rhodes' speech “probably the most dangerous speech for the Democratic coalition. She's a young woman of color. She's saying what a lot of people feel, which is that they might not be able to speak their mind because they've been criticized by about 20 liberals. She expressed it so well and she's a lot better known than any of us here. It was a bunker buster as far as these people are trying to destroy our coalition.”
Black people have traditionally supported Democrats at a significant rate. In 2020, Biden won 87% of the black vote to just 12% for Trump. A Center Square Voter Voice poll this month, conducted after Biden's poor performance in the June debates and before the assassination attempt on Trump, showed a significant shift: 72% of black voters supported Biden, compared with 18% for Trump.
Newsweek magazine reports that black athletes and celebrities who support Trump include boxing promoter Don King, former NFL star Antonio Brown, rappers Kodak Black, Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg, Sexy Red, Azealia Banks, YG, and hip-hop star Waka Flocka Flame. Other past Trump supporters include boxer Mike Tyson and rapper Kanye West. Essence magazine lists 17 black celebrities and influencers who “still support” Trump.
Dana White, CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, who is scheduled to introduce Trump at the convention Thursday night, shared his thoughts on Instagram after learning that Trump had survived and risen to victory. He said, “This photo is such a perfect reflection of the Donald Trump I know — the toughest, most tenacious, American Badass Idiot to have walked the planet…. I can't wait to join Trump on stage at the Republican National Convention on Thursday to introduce him and show the world exactly who I know him to be, the friend and the man!!”
Dana White and UFC have each donated $50,000 to a Trump-backed GoFundMe account for the families of those injured at Trump's rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday. So far, more than 65,600 donations have been made, raising more than $5.2 million as of Wednesday.
Frank Stallone, brother of actor Sylvester Stallone, initially said, “Thank God for saving the only savior of our country. It's the hate from the left that drives this kind of behavior.” He also posted a video on Instagram saying, “We almost lost the future president and former president of the United States. This hate speech from the left… [former House Speaker] Nancy Pelosi [U.S. Reps.] AOC, Ilhan Omar, [U.S. Sen.] Chuck Schumer, this has to stop, this has to stop.”
Republican lawmakers, including Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, whom Trump picked as his running mate, said years of rhetoric from Democrats and the media, including multiple outlets likening Trump to Hitler, contributed to the assassination attempt, The Center Square reported.
“I survived the Kennedy assassination in 1963,” Stallone said. “It's demoralizing, it's a horrible time. Nobody deserves to go through this.” He said he's not afraid to voice his support for Trump, saying, “What's the worst that can happen? Are you going to cancel me? Are you going to take away my voice? Are you going to take away my guitar playing? Are you going to take away my humor? I'm not canceling anything.”
Billionaire Elon Musk, who voted for Biden in 2020, endorsed Trump shortly after the shooting, saying “the last time America had a candidate that tough was Theodore Roosevelt.”
The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that Musk has pledged to donate roughly $45 million per month to a new pro-Trump super political action committee.
Billionaire hedge fund manager and one-time Obama-Biden supporter Bill Ackman also endorsed Trump on Musk's social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. After the shooting, he said, “Biden is weaker and Trump is stronger. The election will likely end in a landslide victory for Trump, and that's a good thing. With a significant amount of support, Trump will be able to recruit the best people for his administration and will be able to do his job more effectively without being distracted by a close election.”
“Trump will be able to do his job more effectively if our country is less divided. A divided America is a weak America. Let's help Trump succeed and bring our country together. Imagine how much more we could accomplish if we worked together.”
Originally published by The Center Square.
