GOP Rep. Mark Meadows brings a black administration official to Cohen testimony to prove Trump isn't racist
Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) on Wednesday tried to refute Michael Cohen's claim that President Trump is a racist by pointing to the fact that a black woman works in his administration.
Cohen had said in his opening statement on Wednesday that Trump is a "racist" who once privately said black people wouldn't vote for him because they're "too stupid." Meadows, a Trump ally, brought as a guest to the hearing Lynne Patton, who has worked for the Trump Organization and is now an official for the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
"You made some very demeaning comments about the president that Ms. Patton doesn't agree with," Meadows said while Patton stood next to him. "She says that as the daughter of a man born in Birmingham, Alabama, that there is no way that she would work for an individual who is racist. How do you reconcile the two of those?" Cohen responded, "Neither should I, as the son of a Holocaust survivor."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Meadows went on to say that he has spoken with Trump over 300 times and has not heard him say anything racist, after Cohen said that Trump called all countries run by black people "s--tholes." Cohen asked how many black people work as executives at the Trump Organization. "The answer is zero," Cohen said. Watch the moment below. Brendan Morrow
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
White House withdraws Trump's spending freeze
Speed Read President Donald Trump's budget office has rescinded a directive that froze trillions of dollars in federal aid and sowed bipartisan chaos
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
OpenAI announces ChatGPT Gov for government use
Speed Read The artificial intelligence research company has launched a new version of its chatbot tailored for the US government
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Caroline Kennedy urges Senate to reject RFK Jr.
Speed Read Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s cousin said he should not become President Donald Trump's health secretary, calling his medical views 'dangerous'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
GOP senator reneged on voting against Hegseth
Speed Read North Carolina senator Thom Tillis provided the deciding vote to confirm Pete Hegseth as defense secretary
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump sparks chaos with spending, aid freezes
Speed Read A sudden freeze on federal grants and loans by President Donald Trump's administration has created widespread confusion
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump feuds with Colombia on deportee flights
Speed Read Colombia has backed off from a trade war with the U.S., reaching an agreement on accepting deported migrants following tariff threats from President Donald Trump
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump proposal to 'clean out' Gaza gets cool reception
Speed Read U.S. allies Jordan and Egypt rejected President Donald Trump's suggestion that Palestinians leave Gaza
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump orders release of JFK, RFK, MLK Jr. files
Speed Read The president signed an executive order to release classified documents related to the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr.
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published