Meet Gregory Cheadle — Trump Called Him 'My African American;' Now He's Leaving GOP And Running For Congress
He's had enough.
When Donald Trump was running for President back in 2016, he received criticism for appealing solely to white voters. That's why the moment he clocked a black face in the crowd at one of his rallies he was quick to point out the man, referring to his as "my African American." It was a cringeworthy moment felt throughout the country, but it didn't stop him from winning the election. But 2020 could usher in a new age. Who is Gregory Cheadle? He's the black American Trump referred to as "My African American" and he isn't just leaving the Republican party now, he's running for office and he is not happy with Trump.
1. Meet Gregory Cheadle
After being in all of the headlines back in 2016, Gregory Cheadle, a black man and a former Trump supporter, is singing a very different tune. Though present at a rally during the President's campaign where Trump referred to him as "my African American," Gregory no longer believes that the Trump train can pick up enough steam to leave the station. What made Gregory decide it was time to leave the Republican party and to run for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives as an independent? The lack of diversity in the Trump administration and the way Trump himself speaks about race.
2. The Straw That Broke The Camel's Back
According to Gregory, 62, he was a Republican because he approved of the way that party was approaching the American economy, but now other factors are outweighing the importance of that area for Gregory. He has come to believe that the Republican party is following a "pro-white" agenda and that he and other people of color within the party are only being used as "political pawns." For Gregory, it was watching the tweets of support from fellow Republicans when Trump told four U.S. congresswomen of color to "go back to their countries."
3. What He Thinks Of Trump
Gregory himself was an Independent until 2001 when he joined the Republican party. When Trump's campaign began, he supported the man because of his promise to help elevate the economy. But now, the issue of race has made it impossible for Gregory to continue his support of Trump. “President Trump is a rich guy who is mired in white privilege to the extreme. Republicans are too sheepish to call him out on anything and they are afraid of losing their positions and losing any power themselves," said Gregory. It's feedback like this that bewilderingly, still surprises Trump.
4. How Trump Responded
When Trump was asked about how he felt about Gregory Cheadle leaving the Republican party, Trump responded by saying nothing at all about his feeling about Gregory Cheadle leaving the party and instead proudly lied about the support he is receiving from the black community. "We have tremendous African American support. I would say I’m at my all-time high. I don’t think I’ve ever had the support that I’ve had now. I think I’m going to do very well with African Americans. African American support has been the best we’ve had," said Trump. A poll released in July found that 80% of black Americans believe the President is racist.
5. Trump's Firm Stance
The news media did their best to get Trump to answer their questions, but it didn't go well. When they asked him if he believed, as Gregory Cheadle said, that the administration was promoting a pro-white agenda, he said: “I think this–it’s very simple. We’ve had the best numbers we’ve ever had for African Americans in terms of employment and unemployment. So I think we’re going to do very well.” When Trump called out to Gregory during his rally in 2016, Gregory took it as a joke and laughed with the crowd, but now his feelings about that moment have changed. “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,” he said.
6. The Trump Backlash
Gregory Cheadle's decision not only to no longer back Trump but to leave the Republican party as a whole and run for office is indicative of the kind of responses Trump has been drawing from the constituents he continues to insist on trying to alienate to the best of his ability in beyond. In the same month, he told Reps. Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Tlaib and Pressley to leave the United States, he also verbally tore down most of the city of Baltimore describing it as a "disgusting, rat and rodent-infested mess." Ignorant and baseless comments like these certainly can't be helping his bid for a second term.
Rebecca Jane Stokes is a writer living in Brooklyn, New York with her cats, Batman and Margot. She's an experienced generalist with a passion for lifestyle, geek news, pop culture, and true crime.