Three Black voters told CNN’s Van Jones they don’t regret casting their ballots for President Donald Trump. The segment aired Thursday on Anderson Cooper 360 and featured one man and two women, all of whom previously voted against Trump. Each said they’d do it again.
Trump secured 13% of the Black vote in 2024, including 21% of Black men and 7% of Black women, according to CNN exit polls. Jones asked the voters to explain their decisions. Their responses pointed to issues like authenticity, the economy, and immigration.
“I mean, part of it is he’s an asshole,” said Seth Dawkins, a first-time Trump voter who previously backed Joe Biden. “I like authenticity.” Dawkins added that Trump’s border policies were a key reason for his support. “I just don’t like the idea of someone coming here illegally and getting benefits that can serve my community,” he said.
Detra German, who once voted for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, said a book by Candace Owens changed her view. “It just opened my eyes to maybe he’s not this person that I have been led to believe that he was,” she told Jones. She said she now sees Trump in a different light.
Kyasia Kraft opposed Trump in 2016 but supported him in 2024. “I was pleasantly surprised,” she said. “I saw the economy getting better. I saw country relations in certain countries getting better.” Kraft also cited concerns about how police officers are treated. Her husband is currently training to join the force.
Jones tried to challenge the voters on racial issues. He brought up Trump’s alleged removal of Harriet Tubman photos and criticism of Black museums. “In some ways, it’s a slap in the face. In other ways, I don’t care,” Dawkins replied. “I care more about how I’m going to take care of my children.”
Jones also pressed them on police reform rollbacks. Kraft pushed back. “The amount of hatred that cops get, even the best ones, I think, has become a huge problem,” she said. “Especially around election times, when it definitely comes out like, ‘Oh no, the cops are bad. The cops hate you because you’re Black.’”
When asked about Trump floating a third term, German said she opposed the idea. “He should leave office after two terms,” she said. But Kraft wasn’t bothered. “It’s a prime example of him trolling people,” she told Jones.
Despite the pushback, all three voters said they’d vote for Trump again. Kraft was the most enthusiastic. “1,000%,” she said. “Absolutely, yes.”
Their views echo a broader trend. NBC News reported in March that most Black male Trump voters in swing-state focus groups also stood by their 2024 vote.