US Election Top 10: How 'racist' Trump is wooing Blacks, Muslims, Latinos and Desis

In an excoriating editorial with a rather harsh tone—so harsh it could be mistaken for an Amazon warehouse—Jeff Bezos, citing a Gallup poll, pointed out that journalists are now less trusted than Congress. Now, that’s rather disturbing, given that a congress is the collective noun for baboons.
In his op-ed—how great is America where even the owner must write an op-ed to be heard—he wrote: “We must be accurate, and we must be believed to be accurate. It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but we are failing on the second requirement. Most people believe the media is biased. Anyone who doesn’t see this is paying scant attention to reality, and those who fight reality lose. Reality is an undefeated champion.” Of course, Bezos’ sudden both-sidedness and refusal to endorse a Presidential candidate might be forced by Musk becoming Trump’s BFF, but that’s a tale for another time. Tangents aside, one area where reality completely begged to differ from mainstream media is the trope that Donald Trump is deeply racist.
For the last eight years, the media has repeated ad nauseam claims about Donald Trump’s supposedly white supremacist tendencies, but one of the tangents of this unprecedented election is the deep inroads Trump has made with various minority groups, including African Americans, Indian Americans, Muslim Americans, and Hispanic Americans. It’s even more remarkable considering that Trump is up against a candidate of African-Indian origin and is still making inroads.
Of course, the last group is smarting after a rather ill-timed Puerto Rican joke at Trump’s Madison Square Garden, which isn’t the smartest political move in recent days, but then again, it’s beyond the scope of mere mortals to question Trump’s je ne sais quoi. Here’s how Team Trump has wooed each of these groups:
Indian Americans for Trump

This is, in purely statistical terms, the most desi American election of all time, with numerous sub-plots, including a Tamil-Telugu showdown. While half of Indian American voters identify as Democrat compared to 26% who identify as Republican, the number of those who bleed blue (to use a cricket term) is decreasing. A recent YouGov poll suggests that 61% of registered voters plan to vote for Harris, while 32% intend to vote for Trump.
While still a majority, the number of Indian Americans leaning Democrat has been declining since 2020. The gender gap is also evident, with 60% of women intending to vote for Harris compared to 50% of men who hope to vote for Trump. Anecdotally, many Indian Americans prefer Red states over Blue ones, mainly for conservative reasons, including the Democrats’ focus on the transgender issue. Vivek Ramaswamy and Nikki Haley were two important politicians of Indian origin running for the Republican nomination, and Trump’s economic policies and conservative values have found common ground with this group. Another reason is Donald Trump’s closeness to Indian PM Narendra Modi, recently praised by Trump as a ‘total killer’ when it comes to protecting Indian interests.
African Americans for Trump

In a remarkable exchange on CNN, while reacting to Donald Trump’s statement that African American or Hispanic voters of Kamala needed to “get their head examined,” pro-Trump supporter Shelley Wynter channelled his inner Malcolm X to argue that the race was between “house African Americans and field African Americans, with the latter voting for Trump.”

More and more Black people appear to be moving away from the Democratic Party. The number is lower than it was historically, and there is a feeling that Black voters are fed up with the Democratic Party for taking them for granted, echoing another Malcolm X maxim about not trusting liberals compared to conservatives.
A few weeks ago on SNL, Michael Che joked: “Don't make this our fault. Seventy-eight percent is a lot. For context, 78% Black people is enough to make white liberals leave the county… If it wasn’t for Black voters, you wouldn’t be a party anymore; you’d be the Democratic small get-together.”

Vivek Ramaswamy, who recently used Martin Luther King Jr’s ‘content of character’ line at a Trump rally, appealed to Black voters, saying: “To Black Americans: the media has tried to convince you for decades that Republicans don’t care about your communities. We want for you what we want for every American: safe neighbourhoods, clean streets, good jobs, a better life for your children, and a justice system that treats everyone equally—regardless of your skin colour or your political beliefs.”
While time will tell how many of them are voting for Trump, current polls show that among Black voters, 18-20% of men lean towards Trump, while around 7-10% of women back Trump. While Harris easily leads Trump among both genders, data from Harris’ alma mater Howard University poll shows younger Black men are more open to Trump’s messaging. Trump’s gains, given Harris’ race, remain a worry for Democrats, perhaps best epitomised by Barack Obama’s hectoring of Black men for not ‘feeling’ Kamala Harris.
Arab Americans for Trump

Finally, the group least likely to vote for Trump: Muslims and Arab Americans. A recent YouGov poll finds Trump has a 2% lead over Harris despite his pro-Israel stance. Among Arab Americans, the Middle East conflict is the top issue, and they view Trump as someone who can end the war while also wanting to punish the Biden administration for its volte-face on Gaza’s suffering. Many now see Trump as a preferable alternative whose anti-war belligerence could actually bring peace to the Middle East.
This is particularly crucial in Michigan, where Imam Belal Alzhuhairi endorsed Trump, calling him the “peace candidate” and lauding his pledge to end “endless wars.” Recently, Trump lashed out at Liz Cheney, labelling her a ‘Muslim-hating warmonger who wants to invade every Muslim country,’ and added that her father, Dick Cheney, was responsible for “killing millions of Arabs.”
Trump’s conservative stance also resonates with some Muslim voters, such as Mayor Amer Ghalib of Matramck, who opposes the Democrats’ progressive social policies, including LGBTQ content in school curriculums. Trump’s favourable ties with Middle Eastern powers like Saudi Arabia and the UAE further bolster his appeal among Arab American voters, who are becoming a crucial constituency, especially in tight races in key states like Michigan.
Hispanics for Trump

Team Trump must be wondering if there was a way to turn back time and stop Tony Hinchcliffe from cracking his Puerto Rico joke because, until then, Donald Trump had been soaring with Hispanic voters. According to recent Reuters/Ipsos polling, Trump now trails Harris by two narrow points among Hispanic men (44% to 46%), a significant improvement from his 19-point lag against Joe Biden at this stage in 2020.
Overall, Hispanic voter support for Trump has risen to 37%, the highest for a Republican since George W. Bush’s 44% in 2004, while Harris holds 51%, down slightly from Biden’s 54% in 2020. Many Latino Trump supporters believe he is better for the economy, which they cite as their top issue. They admire the MAGA conservative stance, with many agreeing on Trump’s positions on abortion, crime, immigration, law enforcement, and border security. They also appreciate Trump’s perceived ‘machismo’ image, particularly Latino men who see him as a symbol of resilience and authority.
While all these groups are relatively small, Trump’s ability to forge alliances with demographics historically opposed to Republicans will worry Democrats, who may wonder if they bet the presidency, House, and Senate on a DEI candidate.
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