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Kimmel roasts Trump being hailed as ‘Champion of Black America’ despite calling for execution of Central Park Five

‘Previous recipients of the Champion of Black America award include no one. They made it up specifically for him’

Martha McHardy
Tuesday 27 February 2024 19:14 GMT
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Trump Says 'The Black People' Like Him Because of His 91 Felony Charges

Jimmy Kimmel slammed those who have hailed Donald Trump as a “Champion of Black Americaafter the former president once called for the execution of the so-called Central Park Five.

Mr Trump was given the “Champion of Black America” award over the weekend at a gala for the Black Conservative Federation – something Kimmel was not impressed by.

“Previous recipients of the Champion of Black America award include no one,” the late night host said. “They made it up specifically for him, because when you think about the true champions of Black America, you think Obama, you think Dr King, you think Rosa Parks, and you think of this man,” he added before cutting to a clip of the ceremony, where Mr Trump told attendees that Black people can relate to him because, like them, he’s been “discriminated against” by the legal system.

“I’m being indicted for you – the Black population,” he could be heard saying. “Black people really like Trump.”

Last week’s event was riddled with racist remarks made by Mr Trump, who told the crowd that Black voters like him because of his many indictments and mug shot.

Elsewhere during the event, Mr Trump told the audience: “These lights are so bright in my eyes that I can’t see too many people out there. I can only see the Black ones, I can’t see any white ones. That’s how far I’ve come. That’s a long way.”

Jimmy Kimmel (Jimmy Kimmel Live)

“Is it a long way?” Kimmel responded. “I don’t know. Maybe in terms of macular degeneration, it’s a long way. He used to be very racist, now he can’t even see white people.”

During the segment, Kimmel also cut to a clip of the crowd, who he said were not shown by the camera recording the event.

“As you can see, a lot of these Black people are very white people,” Kimmel said.

The late-night host also took the opportunity to remind viewers of Mr Trump’s track record of racist comments, highlighting that he previously called for the execution of the Central Park Five, who were exonerated with DNA evidence of the brutal assault and rape of a jogger in New York City in 1989.

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Donald Trump made a series of racist remarks at the gala (AP)

Raymond Santana, Kevin Richardson Antron McCray, Yusef Salaam and Korey Wise, five black and Latino teenagers, were convicted of attacking 28-year-old white female jogger Trisha Meili, who was raped and beaten almost to death during a run in Central Park on 19 April, 1989.

Authorities vacated their convictions in 2002, after convicted murderer and serial rapist Matias Reyes confessed to the attack and said he had committed it alone. DNA evidence backed up his confession.

Mr Trump has never apologised for his remarks, claiming in 2019 that they “admitted their guilt.”

“Not only has he never apologised for that, he’s also now like ‘I’m just like you, you wanna buy my high tops,’” Kimmel said, referencing a pair of $399 gold sneakers Mr Trump recently put on sale in an effort to pay for his mounting legal costs.

“This is your champion of Black America,” he added.

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