Kellyanne Conway, a former aide to Donald Trump, claimed that the former president spoke to an 8,000 person crowd at a Detroit church over the weekend. The event took place at the 180 Church, a Black church on the outskirts of downtown Detroit, as Trump seeks to win over Black voters ahead of the 2024 presidential election. Polls currently show a tight race between Trump and President Joe Biden, with both candidates having marginal leads or being statistically tied in most surveys.
During an appearance on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures With Maria Bartiromo, Conway compared Trump’s campaign efforts to Biden’s, highlighting the contrast in their activities. She praised Trump’s event in Detroit, stating that the former president spoke to 8,000 people at a Black church. However, the actual number of attendees at the church on Saturday is unclear, as the Trump campaign has not yet released a statement about the crowd size. Newsweek has reached out to 180 Church and Trump’s campaign for comment on the matter.
Since Conway’s comments, social media users have responded with jokes and criticism regarding the crowd size claims. Some users joked about the exaggerated numbers, while others accused Trump of staging the event with white supporters in a historically Black church. The Biden-Harris campaign also weighed in on the visit, calling it a “desperate attempt at Black voter ‘outreach’ in front of a noticeably empty and white audience.”
Michigan is a crucial battleground state in the 2024 election, with Biden having won the state by 2.8 percent in 2020 against Trump. Detroit, with its high proportion of Black residents, is expected to play a crucial role in determining the winner of Michigan’s electoral votes. Trump received less than 10 percent of Black voter support in Michigan in 2020, but a recent poll shows that about 15 percent of Black voters in the state have pledged their support for him.
Overall, Trump’s efforts to win over Black voters in Detroit have sparked a mix of reactions, with some praising his outreach to the community while others criticize the alleged staging of the event. As the 2024 presidential campaign heats up, both Trump and Biden will continue their efforts to secure support from key demographics, including Black voters in battleground states like Michigan. The outcome of these efforts will play a significant role in determining the winner of the upcoming election.
