WASHINGTON (AP) — At one of his final rally before the 2024 election, Donald Trump at the time warned that things would get worse if black Americans were to lose jobs in large numbers and not return to the White House.
“You should demand that they give you the number of black people who lose their jobs,” Trump said. “The African American population, they’re fired to a number we’ve never seen before.”
However, Trump took office in January, and the already vulnerable financial situation for Black Americans has deteriorated. Angry at the issues of inflation and affordability, black voters shifted modestly to Republicans last year with a promise that they could boost the economy by stopping border crossings and challenging foreign factories with tariffs. But, like recent economic data, it shows that the racial wealth gap is widening instead.
According to an analysis by Real Estate Brokerage Redfin, the Black unemployment rate rose to 7.5% from 6.2% in 2025, the highest level since October 2021. Earlier this month, the Census Bureau said median income for black households fell 3.3% last year to $56,020, about $36,000 less than what white households earn, worsening evidence of a worse situation.
It creates great political and national economic risks for the president, as unemployment among Black Americans has historically foresaw a wider set of layoffs across other groups.
“Black Americans are often coal mine canaries,” said Angela Hanks, a former employee of the Consumer Financial Protection Agency and a labor department at the Century Foundation, a now liberal think tank.
The Trump White House stressed that some of these downward trends, including a relative decline in black wealth, began under Democratic President Joe Biden. He emphasized that “diversity, equity and inclusion” policies promoted by the Democrats have failed to deliver economic benefits.
“Despite his insane obsession with Day, Joe Biden’s disastrous economic agenda reduced the black share of family wealth by almost 25%,” said White House spokesman Kush Desai. “His inflation policy caused an interest rate hike that frozen Americans out of homeownership, and his open border policy killed the nation tens of millions of offenders who robbed their wages.”
Some black voters believe Trump’s policies are doing more to hurt than help
Some black voters who remained on the sidelines in 2024 are those who feel that they need to be more politically involved.
Josh Garrett, a 30-year-old Florida sales representative, said last year he couldn’t find a candidate he agreed to. He is frustrated with Trump’s federal workers layoffs and sees governments aimed at billionaires rather than middle class.
“I don’t understand how you’ll be like an American and that Americans can lose their jobs when they have families. I have a bill,” Garrett said.
The financial outlook for Black Americans is worsening, but the net worth of white households is either stable or increasing, primarily due to stock market performance.
Hanks points out that while the “chaotic effect” of Trump’s tariffs and spending cuts is currently colliding with more vulnerable groups, the damage could soon spread.
Black leaders believe Trump’s policies are race-based discriminatory
Federal layoffs appear to have disproportionately collided with Black Americans as they constitute a meaningful share of the government’s workforce. The administration argues that tax cuts, tariffs and deportation for immigrants illegally in the United States will help Black Americans, but the data so far has little evidence.
At the same time, Trump says he wants to deploy the National Guard in New Orleans, Baltimore, Chicago in Memphis, Tennessee, and cities led by black mayors. The president is calling for redrawing Congressional districts to support Republicans, which could dilute and dilute the ability of black voters to shape elections. He sought to reduce the legacy of slavery and separation from the Smithsonian Museum.
“The message they’re sending is very clear. In these places, these people can’t govern themselves,” said Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott. “They can’t help them solve their problems, and don’t make any mistakes about it. It depends on how we look.”
Democrats warned that increasing economic challenges could contribute to crime in the future, turning back the progress made by cities to lower homicide rates in recent years.
Trump may not be able to afford to alienate black voters
Black Americans are the dominant core of democratic bases, but Trump has improved his position with them. In 2024, Trump won 16% of black voters, doubling its share in 2020. One important difference appeared to be frustration with inflation and affordability.
About a third (36%) of black voters in the 2024 presidential election said the economy and employment are the most important issues facing the country, starting from 11% in 2020 when the coronavirus pandemic was their biggest problem.
In a July poll According to the Associated Press Center for Public Service, roughly half of black adults (52%) say the amount paid is a “major” source of stress in their current lives, slightly higher than US adults (43%) and significantly higher than white adults (37%).
When it comes to income, some people associated with conservative movements suggest that black households are married and therefore generally tend to have higher incomes.
“The connection between family structure and financial stability has been rather consistent over time,” said Delano Squires, a fellow at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.
The immediate political reality is that Trump had an obligation to improve the middle class economy, including black voters. But many of these voters see an administration that focuses on deporting immigrants and expanding its own grip on power.
“We’re in a new era,” said Alexis Rogers, political director at Black Futures Labs. “There are people who clearly believe his promise, Trump is going to do something about the cost of the eggs, the cost of the housing. They’re instead focusing on ice raids and government shrinking.”
