EXCLUSIVE: Tim Scott Defends Trump’s ‘Black Jobs’ Comment

It’s no secret that at The Root …we’ve made it our responsibility to call out Former President Donald Trump for his racially-insensitive remarks and often divisive politics. We speak directly to our viewers but recently gave South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott the opportunity to be open and honest with those in the Black community who might not trust him.

Scott agreed to talk and sat down with our Editor-in-chief, Tatsha Robertson, to discuss his relationship with the former president while also addressing criticism from Black people. The Root did not hold back with our questions, and Scott did not hold back with his admiration for Trump, even coming to his defense on several occasions.

During the interview, Scott attempted to pull Trump out of the fire for the “Black jobs” comment he made during the June 27 debate with President Joe Biden. As a reminder, the former president cited part of the country’s ongoing inflation crisis as a consequence of Biden’s relaxed border control policy.

“His [Biden’s] big kill on the Black people is the millions of people that he’s allowed to come in through the border. They’re taking Black jobs now, and it could be 18— it could be 19 and even 20 million people,” Trump said.

During an interview with The Root, Scott said the former president’s words were taken “out of context.”

“I think what he [Trump] meant to say was the fact that two-thirds of the jobs he created….went to African Americans, Hispanics, and women,” Scott said. “I think we should take a whole look at the picture, and I don’t think that happens.”

Trump concluded his debate remarks by emphasizing that “they’re taking Black jobs, and they’re taking Hispanic jobs.” A 2024 paper shows immigration actually has positive impacts on the economy and overall employment.

There’s no recent data to support Trump’s claims, but a 2007 study noted a link between an immigration increase and a slight decrease in wages for Black men, though other factors were also listed.

Scott said the “whole look at the picture” should include racially motivated comments Biden made in the past. “When you’re looking for someone that’s said really inflammatory things, it seems like a lot of people close their eyes if it’s a Democrat,” he said.

He also mentioned Biden’s conversation with “The Breakfast Club’s” Charlamagne Tha God during his 2020 bid for president. The then-vice president told voters “if you have a problem figuring out whether you’re for me or Trump, then you ain’t Black.”

Biden received backlash from several media outlets following his comment.

Scott insisted that he “wants [Republicans] to be measured with the same stick— the same scale” as Democrats. When asked why he supports a candidate who has a long history of making “racist” remarks, Scott deflected, again pointing his finger back to Biden.

He also suggested that the media is to blame for the “biased” perception of Republicans like Trump and himself. “Whoever they [media outlets] say I am, they’re not just trying to distort my picture, they’re trying to lie about my record,” he said, adding that it’s “incredibly unfortunate” that the media makes “Black success today about liberal success.”

Stick around for more stories today from the Tim Scott/The Root interview, along with video of the conversation.