Man who Trump once called 'my African-American' is leaving the GOP over its 'pro-white' agenda


Three years after President Trump referred to a black campaign rally attendee as "my African-American," the man has decided to leave the Republican party and launch a 2020 campaign for the House of Representatives as an independent.
Four-time GOP congressional candidate Gregory Cheadle told PBS Newshour about his dissatisfaction with the Republican party and the Trump administration, saying the party is pursuing a "pro-white" agenda and using black people as "political pawns." Cheadle reportedly aligned with the Republican party fiscally, but the GOP's response to a slew of recent racial attacks by Trump on several congresswomen of color and Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) made him re-evaluate his affiliation.
"They were sidestepping the people of color issue and saying that, 'No, it's not racist,'" Cheadle told PBS. "They were saying these people were socialists and communists ... And I thought this is a classic case of whites not seeing racism because they want to put blinders on and make it about something else."
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.
Cheadle also criticized the racial makeup of Trump's judicial nominees, who are predominantly white. He wouldn't go so far as to label Trump a racist, instead saying he believes the president has a "white superiority complex."
Cheadle's words are a major change of tune from his feelings in 2016. After Trump famously told people at his campaign rally to "look at my African-American over here," Cheadle at the time said he was "startled" by people who were offended by the comments, adding that the country is so "polarized and sensitive."
"I'm more critical of it today than I was back then because today I wonder to what extent he said that for political gain or for attention," Cheadle told PBS. Read more at PBS Newshour.
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
Marianne is The Week’s Social Media Editor. She is a native Tennessean and recent graduate of Ohio University, where she studied journalism and political science. Marianne has previously written for The Daily Beast, The Crime Report, and The Moroccan Times.
-
May 31 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Saturday's political cartoons include how much to pay for a pardon, medical advice from a brain worm, and a simple solution to the national debt.
-
5 costly cartoons about the national debt
Cartoons Political cartoonists take on the USA's financial hole, rare bipartisan agreement, and Donald Trump and Mike Johnson.
-
Green goddess salad recipe
The Week Recommends Avocado can be the creamy star of the show in this fresh, sharp salad
-
White House tackles fake citations in MAHA report
speed read A federal government public health report spearheaded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was rife with false citations
-
Judge blocks push to bar Harvard foreign students
speed read Judge Allison Burroughs sided with Harvard against the Trump administration's attempt to block the admittance of international students
-
Trump's trade war whipsawed by court rulings
Speed Read A series of court rulings over Trump's tariffs renders the future of US trade policy uncertain
-
Elon Musk departs Trump administration
speed read The former DOGE head says he is ending his government work to spend more time on his companies
-
Trump taps ex-personal lawyer for appeals court
speed read The president has nominated Emil Bove, his former criminal defense lawyer, to be a federal judge
-
US trade court nullifies Trump's biggest tariffs
speed read The US Court of International Trade says Trump exceeded his authority in imposing global tariffs
-
Trump pauses all new foreign student visas
speed read The State Department has stopped scheduling interviews with those seeking student visas in preparation for scrutiny of applicants' social media
-
Trump pardons Virginia sheriff convicted of bribery
speed read Former sheriff Scott Jenkins was sentenced to 10 years in prison on federal bribery and fraud charges