Explaining the Right is a weekly series that looks at what the right wing is currently obsessing over, how it influences politics—and why you need to know.
Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota was attacked by a Trump supporter during a town hall on Tuesday. The assailant’s social media profile showed racial animosity toward Omar, who is a Black woman, echoing rhetoric from President Donald Trump and other Republicans.
Trump followed up the attack by continuing to smear Omar while also promoting the conspiracy theory that the event had been staged.
The episode was just the latest in a series of attacks that Trump has leveled against prominent Black women during his time as a national political figure.
For instance, as part of his longstanding feud with Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas—who has frequently called out his racism and authoritarianism—Trump has insisted that she has a “low IQ.”
Racists have historically asserted that Black people have lower IQs than whites.
In another episode, Trump tried to get his Justice Department to pursue a criminal case against New York Attorney General Leticia James. Trump has had a chip on his shoulder since James successfully pursued him in court, securing a guilty verdict on 34 felonies.
But the right’s attacks on Black women are not confined to just Trump.
Kamala Harris, who was the first woman and the first Black and Asian person to serve as vice president, was frequently the target of attacks from the right. During her presidential campaign, Trump’s propagandists at Fox News fumed that she used the word “holistic,” describing it as “Kamala Harris’ ‘Holistic’ Word Salad.”
Similarly, the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk, as part of his legacy of racist remarks, went after Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson—the first Black woman to serve on the court. After she was nominated by former President Joe Biden, Kirk said that she was a “recipient of affirmative action” and that she was “unqualified.”
Related | Republicans struggle to defend Trump's latest racist stunt
In a memorable moment of mass hysterics, the conservative movement pilloried Michelle Obama, the first Black first lady, because she had the nerve to advocate for healthy diets and exercise for children.
The modern conservative movement has its roots in racial animosity, particularly directed at Black people. But that animus goes into overdrive when the target is Black women.
Much of this likely stems from the central role that Black women play in the progressive movement, particularly the political strength of the Democratic Party. Without the support and organization of Black women voters, Democrats would likely not be a viable party.
Black women are the most reliable voting bloc for the party and have been the demographic most likely to support winning presidential candidates like Biden and Barack Obama. But even when Democratic candidates have lost, they have had the unwavering support of Black women.
For instance, when Trump defeated Harris in 2024, Black women voted for Harris by a margin of 92% to 7%. Similarly, when Hillary Clinton lost to Trump in 2016, she received 94% of Black women’s votes while Trump received 4%.
The demographic has historically shown little to no interest in Republican candidates, which no doubt has been a source of frustration.
Right-wing politics has historically centered the concerns of conservative white men over everyone else, and the party’s embrace of faux masculinity has set up a dynamic of subordination to white men. Often, as displayed by politicians like Trump, this animosity is expressed by targeting Black women.
It isn’t just the politicians who make this choice. Conservative media, most notably Fox News, serves a key role in portraying Black women as the villain in conservative morality plays. Politicians like Trump then play into this narrative, targeting leaders like Omar and Crockett to keep up support among his base.
In light of this institutional hostility and the clear consensus that Democrats are more open to their concerns, it is unlikely that Black women will join the Republican camp anytime soon.
So while Republicans continue to bash and demonize them, Black women will use their power at the ballot box.
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