Sharpton blasts Trump for lack of Black Cabinet members

The Rev. Al Sharpton criticized President-elect Trump for lacking Black Cabinet or high-level administration appointees thus far. 

“In the two weeks since Donald Trump was elected to a second term, he has put forth a dozen troubling nominees, yet the most alarming factor in his proposed Cabinet is that not a single candidate is Black,” said Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network.

Sharpton blasted Trump for courting Black voters during the campaign — including using Black surrogates along the campaign trail — but for keeping a predominantly white Cabinet thus far. 

“Trump spent this campaign selling himself to Black voters, especially men, by peddling sneakers and implying his criminal convictions would resonate with our community,” Sharpton said. 

“Instead of meeting the demands of more Black voters who supported him, Donald Trump has proposed an attorney general nominee wrapped up in an ethics probe over trafficking allegations and a Health secretary whose views on vaccines and other safeguards could devastate our community.”

Some of Trump’s picks have been controversial, such as former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) as attorney general. Gaetz was under investigation for illegal drug use and sexual misconduct. 

Trump also selected Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services despite a history of spreading misinformation about vaccines.  

But despite some backlash to the appointees, Trump has diversified his Cabinet with both women and other members of color. 

In addition to selecting Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem to head the Department of Homeland Security, Trump also appointed Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) as secretary of State and Vivek Ramaswamy as co-leader of the “Department of Government Efficiency.” 

Still, Sharpton said after Trump’s efforts and history of controversial comments about and toward Black Americans, the lack of Black appointees is telling. 

“Right now, it appears that the self-proclaimed ‘best president for Black America since Abraham Lincoln’ has lost interest in us,” said Sharpton. “The president-elect needs to put his money where his mouth is if he actually wants to deliver for Black America.”

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