CULTURE

Trump Tweeted About Low Black Unemployment After Jay-Z Called Him Out On CNN

Jay-Z spoke to CNN’s Van Jones about Trump’s words and policies, prompting, naturally, a response on Twitter from the president.


Clive Davis and Recording Academy Pre-GRAMMY Gala - Inside
Photo by Lester Cohen/Getty Images for NARAS

President Trump has a message for Jay-Z: Black unemployment is down—and Donald Trump is the reason why, according to Donald Trump.

In an interview with CNN’s Van Jones, the rapper and mogul called out the president for his ignorance and racism in light of his comments about African nations being “sh–holes.” Jay-Z compared Trump to a “superbug” created when, instead of fixing the problem of racism in our country, politicians and public figures simply sweep it aside and only deal with the worst offenders. “You don’t take the trash out. You keep spraying whatever over it to make it acceptable and then, you know, as those things grow, then you create a superbug. And then now we have Donald Trump, the superbug,” he said.

Jay-Z was not overly disdainful of the president, adding, “Donald Trump is a human being, too,” and, “Somewhere along his lineage something happened to him… and he’s in pain and he’s expressing it in this sort of way.” Nor did he outright refute Trump’s oft-repeated claim that black unemployment is at an all-time low; instead, he said the issue was “not about money at the end of the day. Money doesn’t equate to happiness. It doesn’t. That’s missing the whole point. Black unemployment is at a record low. But there’s a lot more to the story.”

Well, Trump didn’t seem to think there was any more to the story, because he took to Twitter to ask someone to tell Jay-Z that Black unemployment was at a record low… even though Jay-Z never disputed that fact.

Whether or not the unemployment rate is due in whole or in part to Trump’s presidency, though, is up for debate, since the economy overall started to turn around under President Obama’s administration.

And again, just so everyone is totally clear, President Trump took to Twitter to tell Jay-Z something that Jay-Z already knew and agreed with Trump about on CNN. Wow, it’s almost like Trump is more focused on the color of a person’s skin than what they are saying!

Related: Donald Trump’s Request for a White House Van Gogh Was Swiftly Rejected by the Guggenheim

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Sarah Sophie Flicker, Michaela Angela Davis, Janet Mock, Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson marched together in Los Angeles.

Photo by @janetmock.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus reminds us all to register to vote while protesting at the Women’s March.

Photo by @officialjld.

Julianne Moore marched in New York.

Photo by @juliannemoore.

Jenny Lewis at the Women’s March in Downtown LA.

Photo by @jennydianelewis.

Mark Ruffalo marched with his family in New York.

Photo by @markruffalo.

Ashley Judd marched in solidarity with the Time’s Up initiative in New York.

Photo by @ashley_judd.

Gina Rodriguez at the Women’s March in Los Angeles.

Photo by @hereisgina.

Rose McGowan marched in Washington, D.C. on the anniversary of the Women’s March.

Photo by @rosemcgowan.

Olivia Wilde gave a speech for over 700,000 protestors at the Women’s March in Los Angeles.

Photo by @oliviawilde.

Jennifer Lawrence, Cameron Diaz and Adele at the Women’s March.

Photo by @adele.

Kathy Najimy used her megaphone at the Women’s March in New York.

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Krysten Ritter promoted girl power before heading out to the Women’s March.

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Chloë Grace Moretz stepped away from the 2018 Sundance Film Festival to protest at the Respect Rally in Park City, Utah.

Photo by @chloegmoretz.

Ellen Page and Emma Portner brought their pup to protest with them at the Women’s March in Los Angeles.

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Amy Schumer and Amber Tamblyn at the Women’s March in New York.

Photo by @amyschumer.

Cynthia Nixon at the Women’s March in New York.

Photo by @cynthiaenixon.

Katie Holmes braved the crowded subway to march in New York.

Photo by @katieholmes212.

Alessandra Garcia Lorido in front of signs for the Women’s March Alliance.

Photo by @alessandragl.

Sarah Ramos with a crew of friends at the Women’s March in Los Angeles.

Photo by @saraheramos.

Willa Fitzgerald and Molly Bernard at the Women’s March in New York.

Photo by @willafitz.
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