Fred C. Trump III’s memoir, unveiled by The Guardian, casts a harsh light on the former president’s racial views. Trump III, nephew to Donald Trump, recounts an incident from the early 1970s that underscores one of the many blemishes in the Trump family's history.
In his new book, All in the Family: The Trumps and How We Got This Way, Fred III recalls a day at his grandparents' house in Queens, where his uncle Donald furiously used the N-word after discovering damage to his Cadillac convertible.
“‘N—s,’ I recall him saying disgustedly. ‘Look what the n—s did,’” Trump III wrote, detailing how his uncle's anger led him to immediately blame Black individuals for the damage. It paints a piercing portrait of the racial biases that were pervasive in the Trump family.
This moment of alleged racial slur is not an isolated incident in Trump's controversial history. Historically, Trump has faced accusations of employing discriminatory practices long before his foray into politics. In the '70s, Donald Trump and his father were sued by the federal government for not renting to Black tenants. Later, as a casino owner, Black employees were often removed from floors whenever Donald or his wife visited. Furthermore, his disdain was prominently on display when he called for the death penalty for the exonerated Central Park Five and stayed tight-lipped about condemning white supremacists during his presidency.
Such details serve as old wounds reopened once more in Trump III's book. These have been compounded by further allegations of racism stemming from Trump’s reality TV past, particularly during The Apprentice days. Bill Pruitt, a former producer on the show, recalled Trump questioning the viability of a Black candidate, Kwame Jackson, winning in America. Omarosa Manigault Newman, another contestant, claimed she witnessed Trump using the racial slur diverted at Jackson.
Unsurprisingly, the Trump campaign has gone on the defensive. Steven Cheung, Trump’s spokesperson, labeled the memoir's claims “completely fabricated and total fake news of the highest order,” asserting that anyone who knows Donald Trump would deny such language being part of his lexicon.
Racial discrimination is a recurrent theme in Trump’s narrative. Trump III’s narrative answers the often-posed question: Was Donald a racist? Trump III reflects on whether everyone in their Queens neighborhood harbored similar prejudices, theorizing how ingrained such biases were. The former president’s nephews and the broader Trump family have been entangled in accusations dating back decades. Despite denials and attempts to quash these reports, the narrative in All in the Family suggests a longstanding, unresolved pattern.
Controversy not only follows Trump but also marks his political maneuvers. Following President Biden’s withdrawal from the 2024 race, Vice President Kamala Harris secured the Democratic nomination. The rivalry between Trump and Harris has already been infused with racial tension, originating from Trump’s historical reaction to diverse political opponents.
Representative Andy Ogles added fuel to the fire by seeking Harris’s impeachment over handling border crises. Concurrently, Trump's prior braggadocious claims about receiving substantial monetary support from Elon Musk were dismissed by Musk, who admitted only making limited contributions to the pro-Trump PAC, America PAC.
The political climate remains volatile, with accusations flying thick and fast. Both parties are locked in rigorous campaigns, egged on by the charged racial undertones resurfacing in Trump's continued political presence. Harris, meanwhile, leveraging her experiences and identity, becomes a symbol of the new democratic wave pushing against Trump’s old prejudices.
Beyond the innuendoes and accusations, the broader narrative of Trump’s racial comments, his nephew’s revelations, and Trump’s interaction with the Black community form a commentary on contemporary American politics. Trump’s involvement in Israeli relations, critiqued by his own family, further broadens the implications of racial and international policies under scrutiny.
Fred III’s candid description reveals another dimension to Trump’s complex identity, opening new dialogues about racial adversity and political ethics. Notably, if the memoir impacts the upcoming election as the publishers predict, the shaded corners of the Trump dynasty will climb to the forefront of American discourse.
Trump’s familial revelations resonate through the political fabric, challenging both supporters and critics to reconcile public persona with private narratives.
The excerpts ending with Trump's response to discerning the disabled community encapsulate the essence of his character in his nephew's eyes. Such raw accounts hint at deeper societal concerns, vividly dissected by Trump III’s narrative. As readers grasp the gravity of these revelations, one is left contemplating – how does it shape the electorate’s decision?
