After Kanye Tweets, Black Americans’ Approval of Trump Nearly Doubles

After Kanye Tweets, Black Americans’ Approval of Trump Nearly Doubles
President-elect Donald Trump and Kanye West pose for a picture in the lobby of Trump Tower in New York on Dec. 13, 2016. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Petr Svab
5/3/2018
Updated:
10/5/2018

African American approval ratings of President Donald Trump have nearly doubled since rapper Kanye West took to Twitter to express his support for the president, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.

West was a vocal Trump supporter during the 2016 presidential race and recently returned to Twitter after a nearly yearlong hiatus.

On April 25, he posted a picture of a hat with Trump’s campaign motto, “Make America Great Again,” saying, “my MAGA hat is signed.”

He immediately received flak from Trump opposition but stood his ground.

“You don’t have to agree with Trump but the mob can’t make me not love him,” West wrote in another tweet later that day. “We are both dragon energy. He is my brother. I love everyone. I don’t agree with everything anyone does. That’s what makes us individuals. And we have the right to independent thought.”

“Thank you Kanye, very cool!” Trump responded on Twitter.

Two days later, Trump followed up: “Kanye West has performed a great service to the Black Community - Big things are happening and eyes are being opened for the first time in Decades - Legacy Stuff!”

Since Kanye’s tweets, Trump’s approval rating among black people started to increase, from 11 percent on April 25 to 21 percent on April 30, the poll shows.

Other polls show increases too.

Morning Consult shows a rise from 11 to 18 percent between April 19-23 and April 26-May 1 polls.
Gallup shows an increase from 9 to 13 percent between Feb. 26-April 1 and April 2-April 29 polls, though these results don’t focus on the specific period before and after Kanye’s tweets.
The Economist/YouGov poll shows a more modest increase, from 10 to 12 percent, between April 22-24 and April 29-May 1 polls.
Trump’s pitch to the black community has centered on jobs. “The greatest social program is a job,” he said in his speech announcing his candidacy in Trump Tower.
The black unemployment level has since dropped to historic lows.

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