Al Sharpton in Baltimore: Trump ‘Has a Particular Venom for Blacks and People of Color’

Al Sharpton attacked President Donald Trump’s comments on Baltimore’s deteriorating conditions in a Monday press conference, claiming the president’s remarks show he possesses a “particular venom for blacks and people of color.”

Sharpton is in Baltimore, where delivered remarks with Michael Steele, the former chairman of the Republican National Committee, regarding President Trump’s recent tweets about the Democrat-run city, the district of Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD). Over the weekend, the president  referred to Baltimore as a “disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess.”

“Little did I know that Mr. Trump was going to, on the eve of this [press conference], attack the Congresswoman from this city, and not only the Congressman, but the people of this city in the most bigoted and racist way.” Sharpton said, referencing Cummings.

“He attacks everybody,” Sharpton continued. “But he has a particular venom for blacks and people of color. He doesn’t refer to any of his other opponents or critics as ‘infested.'”

President Trump eviscerated Sharpton ahead of the civil rights activist’s press conference, calling him a “con man” and “troublemaker,” who hates whites and police officers.

In a separate tweet, President Trump wrote that he has known Sharpton for 25 years and attended multiple boxing matches with him and boxing promoter Don King. “He ‘loved Trump!” the president wrote. “He would ask me for favors often.”

The president then said he would on rare occasion attend Sharpton’s events as a “personal favor” to the left-wing activist and said Sharpton apologized for criticizing him throughout the 2016 presidential campaign. “He came to my office in [Trump Tower] during the presidential campaign to apologize for the way he was talking about me,” he said.

President Trump on Monday also doubled down on his criticism of Baltimore’s crime issue.

“25 years of all talk, no action!” the president tweeted. “So tired of listening to the same old Bull… Next, Reverend Al will show up to complain & protest. Nothing will get done for the people in need. Sad!”

Through 2015-2018, Baltimore homicides topped 300 per year and are on track to pass such figure in 2019, making it the fifth consecutive year to do so. As the president stated, the city suffers from a rodent problem. In 2018, PBS aired a documentary film entitled Rat Film about Baltimore’s outgoing rodent problem. The Baltimore Sun published an opinion-editorial in November 2016 — Trump’s right: Declare Baltimore a ‘disaster’ and rebuild it — in which Sean Kennedy, a visiting fellow at the Maryland Public Policy Institute, called for the city to be rebuilt.