Al Sharpton Fires Back After Trump Calls Him A Con Man Who ‘Hates Whites & Cops’: “This Is Race-Baiting At Its Best”

On Monday morning, Donald Trump reignited his attacks on the African American community, just days after he slammed Rep. Elijah Cummings over his “disgusting, rat and rodent-infested mess” of a district in Baltimore. In his early morning tirade, Trump directed his attention to Al Sharpton, in response to the Reverend’s photo of him on his way to the African-American-majority city. 

“I have known Al for 25 years. Went to fights with him & Don King, always got along well. He ‘loved Trump!” The Celebrity in Chief wrote. “He would ask me for favors often. Al is a con man, a troublemaker, always looking for a score. Just doing his thing. Must have intimidated Comcast/NBC. Hates Whites & Cops!” 

As Trump continued with his tweets from the toilet, he reiterated his thoughts on Baltimore. “Baltimore, under the leadership of Elijah Cummings, has the worst Crime Statistics in the Nation. 25 years of all talk, no action! So tired of listening to the same old Bull…Next, Reverend Al will show up to complain and protest. Nothing will get done for the people in need. Sad!” He wrote, before firing shots at the four congresswomen of color and then again at Sharpton. 

“Al Sharpton would always ask me to go to his events,” Trump said. “He would say, ‘it’s a personal favor to me.’ Seldom, but sometimes, I would go. It was fine. He came to my office in T.T. during the presidential campaign to apologize for the way he was talking about me. Just a conman at work!” 

In response, Sharpton first took to social media to clarify his former relationship with Trump, sharing a photo of him, Jesse Jackson, and James Brown at the NAN Convention in 2006. 

“This is a 2006 photo of Donald Trump at the National Action Network Convention in NY,” Sharpton wrote. “In the photo, he’s telling The Godfather of Soul, James Brown and Rev. Jesse Jackson, why despite the fact I marched on him throughout the years, he respected my work. Now I’m a conman and troublemaker, that’s why he came to my events? You are right, Mr. President, I’m going to keep making good trouble against racism and people like you that normalize it.”

 

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This is a 2006 photo of Donald Trump at the National Action Network Convention in NY. In the photo he’s telling The Godfather of Soul, James Brown and Rev. Jesse Jackson ,why despite the fact I marched on him throughout the years, he respected my work. Now I’m a con man and troublemaker, that’s why he came to my events? You are right Mr. President, I’m going to keep making good trouble against racism and people like you that normalize it.

A post shared by Rev. Al Sharpton (@real_sharpton) on Jul 29, 2019 at 3:48am PDT

Taking it a step further, Sharpton appeared on MSNBC’s Morning Joe to address Trump’s attacks, saying, “[Trump’s] going to attack the most visible black person that comes across his desk and he thinks can set a tone. I’m not going to bite the bait.” 

Trump says I’m a troublemaker & con man. I do make trouble for bigots. If he really thought I was a con man he would want me in his cabinet.

— Reverend Al Sharpton (@TheRevAl) July 29, 2019

“He should not continue to try and sell this racist behavior to try and make the country more divided for his own political gain,” Sharpton said. “His attacks on Elijah Cummings and this district here is something that is absolutely horrible. First of all, part of Congressmen Cumming’s district is very stable; it is probably the most educated and economically mobile African American district that we know in the North East, if not the country. But his whole stereotyping of them is very racist.” 

As he continued, he addressed his press conference, explaining that the conference was previously scheduled before anyone knew of Trump’s plan to attack the district. From there, Sharpton addressed Trump’s comments once more. “I am a trouble maker; I intend to make trouble every time racists and bigots move around in any way shape or form, including the president.” 

“This is race-baiting at its best; this is Donald Trump playing the race card.”

WATCH: @TheRevAl responds to President Trump’s attacks against him.

“He’s going to attack me as a ‘troublemaker’ and a ‘con-man.’ …I am a ‘troublemaker’… I intend to make trouble every time racists and bigots move around in any way shape or form, including the president.” pic.twitter.com/A9mmM53TR2

— MSNBC (@MSNBC) July 29, 2019