The backlash was swift against Jared Kushner Monday shortly after he suggested on that Black people must “want to be successful” so that his father-in-law’s policies can help them.
After telling “Fox and Friends” that he had an “in-depth and respectful policy discussion” with rapper Ice Cube — who told the network the day before that he had spoken with Trump administration officials recently to collaborate on its Platinum Plan that aims to invest $500 million into Black communities — Kushner launched into a tone-deaf lecture.
Kushner suggested that the Black community should be more appreciative of the President’s policies, which requires Black people wanting to be “successful” if Trump’s policies are going to work for them.
“Again, one thing that we have seen in a lot of the Black community, which is mostly Democrat, is that President Trump’s policies are the policies that can help people break out of the problems that they’re complaining about,” Kushner said. “But he can’t want them to be successful more than that they want to be successful.”
Shortly after Kushner appeared on “Fox and Friends,” he received backlash for his remarks on the Black community, which White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany quickly dismissed.
“It’s disgusting to see internet trolls taking Senior Advisor Jared Kushner out of context as they try to distract from President Trump’s undeniable record of accomplishment for the Black community,” McEnany said in a statement shared with TPM on Monday. “From criminal justice reform and record HBCU funding to record low Black unemployment and record high income increases, there is simply no disputing that President Trump accomplished what Democrats merely talked about.”
Kushner’s jaw-dropping suggestion comes on the heels of the President — who has repeatedly defended Confederate symbols and refused to directly condemn white supremacy — boasting that he’s the “least racist person in the room” during the final presidential debate last week.
Twitter users, elected officials and the Biden campaign swiftly decried Kushner’s remarks shortly after his “Fox and Friends” interview concluded:
It wouldn’t be Monday without Jared Kushner saying racist garbage.
— Scott Dworkin (@funder) October 26, 2020
Just watched Jared Kushner stand in front of a camera and say that DJT wants black people to be successful more than black people want success for themselves. When people say racism is not a problem, or they're not racist, apparently they literally don't know what racism means.
— Catherine Ryan Hyde (@cryanhyde) October 26, 2020
Born on third base, thinks he hit a triple. Few in US history have been given as much wealth or power without having to earn a thing as Jared Kushner. His father-in-law gave him the position he is failing at miserably, with deadly consequences. We will remember his casual racism. https://t.co/V8pZxFsfow
— Rep. Don Beyer (@RepDonBeyer) October 26, 2020
This how the 1% look at minorities. I was a classmate of Kushner let me tell you what I did to get into Harvard compared to what he did. Yes a thread. https://t.co/efjtTuhdbW
— Ruben Gallego (@RubenGallego) October 26, 2020
Jared Kushner is a condescending douchebag. https://t.co/J8y3KzDxtJ
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) October 26, 2020
This guy is a fucking SLUMLORD
Oh wow can he fuck off into the sun forever https://t.co/zvnmSBBZqQ— (((Rachel Sklar))) ❄️ (@rachelsklar) October 26, 2020
I'm surprised he didn't just go for "shiftless" https://t.co/vXry52WZ60
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) October 26, 2020
Sigh. VOTE. https://t.co/zogXoDAPLK
— Symone D. Sanders (@SymoneDSanders) October 26, 2020
