Ja’Ron Smith: Trump Has Prioritized Issues Important to Black Communities

Ja’Ron Smith, the highest-ranking African American official in President Donald Trump’s White House, told the Republican National Convention on Thursday that the commander-in-chief had prioritized issues important to black communities throughout his tenure in office.

Smith, who serves as the assistant to the president for domestic policy, opened up his remarks to the convention by discussing his own unique background and his personal connection to Trump. Smith said:

I grew up on Strandhill Road in Cleveland—a blue-collar street in a blue-collar city. When the media talks about forgotten places or the manufacturing decline in the rust belt or the plight of the working-class or the opioid epidemic, I just wonder what’s taken so long.

But it’s funny—when they try to explain the connection to Donald Trump—there’s usually some stock photo of people who don’t look like me.

Discussing the president’s accomplishments for people of color, including boosting funding for historically black colleges and universities, Smith argued that Trump’s commitment to “revitalizing communities” was visible through his actions.

“Name an issue important to black communities—and it’s been a priority for him,” Smith said. “Prison reform, re-building broken families, bringing jobs back to America—jobs in Cleveland, jobs in Detroit, jobs in Milwaukee. Jobs for the future and jobs right here, right now.”

“And, in the wake of the murder of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and LeGend Taliferro—a moment of national racial consciousness—I have seen his true conscience,” he added. “I just wish every American could see the deep empathy he showed to families whose loved ones were killed in senseless violence.”

The speech comes as Trump is making a concerted play to broaden support among communities of color ahead of the general election. As such, the president’s reelection campaign has invested extensive resources in outreach and voter engagement aimed at people of color.

Although the success of such moves have yet to be determined, recent polls show former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democrat nominee, underperforming among black voters.