NBC News: Black Men Who Backed Trump Stand by Decision

WELKER: “I want to turn now to more from the latest installment of our Deciders focus group series. As we mentioned, we are hearing from black men in swing states who voted for President Trump in 2024. One of the biggest takeaways from this key focus group was, despite some disagreements with the president about his tactics, they are standing by their vote. Take a listen to a little bit more of what they had to say.”

[Clip starts]

THAU: “I’d like to know whether, on balance, you approve or disapprove of what the new administration has done since it took over. So, by the show of fingers, who approves what the new administration has done since it took over? Marlon, why do you approve?”

UNKNOWN 1: “I approve because he’s weeding out a lot of things that the other, I would say Biden and Kamala Harris, disrupted in this United States. There are a lot of things. It’s going to be a tough job for him and the Trump Administration as a whole, but I’m just willing to wait and see what, you know, goes forth from now.”

UNKNOWN 2: “I believe that he’s getting rid of the clutter and things that have been there for a long period of time, and he’s just cleaning, cleaning house. But there’s a way to do it, and so, I don’t 100 percent agree totally how he’s cleaning house, but there are some areas that need to be improved within the government.”

THAU: “[inaudible]?”

UNKNOWN 3: “I want to say, he said he’s going to do some things. He did a lot of things. Whether it actually happens exactly how he wanted it to happen or not, at least he tried and actually did something. So that’s more than I could say about the Democrats probably ever.”

THAU: “Jeffrey, tell me why you disapprove.”

UNKNOWN 4: “I disapprove in the way he’s handled the firings of government employees, firing public sector versus the private sector are two different animals. My opinion, he should have went — he should have gone in with the scalpel instead of a blowtorch.”

UNKNOWN 2: “I think the economy right now is in a position where they’re hurting and they need help.”

[Clip ends]

WELKER: “That focus group was produced in collaboration with Syracuse University, Engagious, and Sago.”