Black Population Endures Biden’s Fumbling Economy
Trump, the 2024 presidential contender, used one of his final campaign stops to emphasize the dwindling employment state among African Americans. He took the opportunity to turn the spotlight on the precarious job safety for Black Americans. With an overt echo of doom, he suggested that their employment chances could take a worse nosedive without his leadership.
However, Trump’s claims run counter to recent economic reports that expose a stark burgeoning rift in the racial wealth disparity. Black unemployment has seen a increase, jumping from 6.2% to a staggering 7.5% in 2025, a highly alarming height unseen since 2021.
According to data by Redfin, an authoritative real estate brokerage firm, there is a downward trend in black homeownership, hitting the lowest point since 2021. A deteriorating situation indeed as the Census Bureau recently announced a 3.3% decline to $56,020 in the median income of Black households.
With a striking discrepancy of nearly $36,000 compared to a white household income, it paints a vivid picture of a faltering economy, deteriorating at an exponential pace, disproportionately affecting the Black population.
In the midst of this, a 30-year-old salesperson in Florida, Josh Garrett, airs his confusion and frustration. Like most other Americans, he couldn’t find a candidate he could agree with last year. With a sense of disappointment, he voices concern over Trump’s sweeping terminations of federal workers, perceiving a government catering more to billionaires at the cost of the middle class.
Garrett detaches from Trump’s allegations, questioning how a government claiming to be for the people, can justify the job losses experienced by American families stifled with bills. While the Black community’s financial outlook grows increasingly grim, the net value of white households holds firm or even shows a pattern of growth. This growth is largely a result of positive stock market performance.
Interestingly, it appears that Black Americans are bearing the brunt of federal layoffs. As they constitute a notable segment of the government workforce, these layoffs have disproportionately impacted them. Simultaneously, Trump’s boasts how he plans to station the National Guard in specific cities predominantly governed by Black mayors, such as Chicago, New Orleans, Baltimore, and Memphis, Tennessee.
The President has also proposed alterations for congressional district borders, favoring a Republican majority. This move if successful devalues the influential capabilities of Black voters in shaping the outcome of elections. An instance of Trump’s policies undermining the Black community.
Baltimore Mayor, Brandon Scott, criticized Trump’s policies adversely affecting Black communities. In a tone laced with warnings, he suggested that escalating economic hardships could culminate in a crime wave across cities, jeopardizing the strides made in lower homicide rates.
Despite the bleak picture painted of Trump’s policies, Black Americans form the backbone of the Democratic voter base, and surprisingly, Trump seems to have made inroads. His popularity seemed to have doubled among Black voters in 2024, earning him 16% support, up from the 8% he garnered in 2020.
A significant shift signifying the key discrepancy appears rooted in troubles with inflation and the cost of living. Approximately 36% of Black voters in the 2024 election felt that the economy and employment ranked as the most pressing issue threatening the nation. This is a substantial increase from 11% in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic was seen as the paramount challenge.