Analysis
Trump’s statement ignores his well-documented history of racial bias, including the 1973 Justice Department lawsuit against his company for discriminating against Black rental applicants (settled in 1975 with a consent decree). Additionally, his public record prior to 2015 included promoting the racially charged 'birther' conspiracy against Barack Obama, calling for the execution of the exonerated Central Park Five (even after their innocence was proven), and making disparaging remarks about Black communities. Polling from 2015—such as a *Pew Research* survey—showed his approval rating among Black voters at **1-2%**, undermining any claim of a broadly positive relationship.
Background
Trump’s relationship with Black Americans has been contentious for decades, marked by legal battles over housing discrimination in the 1970s and repeated controversies over racially insensitive statements. His 2015 comment on *The Daily Show* came amid his presidential campaign, during which he frequently made appeals to minority voters despite a lack of policy proposals or outreach tailored to their concerns. The phrasing of the statement itself—referring to 'the blacks'—was widely criticized as reductive and out of touch.
Verdict summary
Donald Trump’s 2015 claim of having a consistently 'great relationship with the blacks' is demonstrably false based on his documented history of racial discrimination, inflammatory remarks, and lack of substantive support from Black communities at the time.