A post is making the rounds online attempting to “fact-check” a meme President Trump shared comparing three administrations: Clinton (highest Black imprisonment), Obama (highest Black welfare dependence), and Trump (highest Black employment).
But that response completely misses the point. Instead of addressing the data behind Trump’s claim, it leans on distraction and misdirection. Let’s unpack the logical fallacies at play and look at what the numbers actually show.
1. The Red Herring
The post in question cites Black unemployment numbers from August 2025. This is nearly five years after President Trump left office. That’s irrelevant to the argument. The issue isn’t what’s happening now; it’s what happened then.
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Under Bill Clinton: Record Black incarceration rates (U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics).
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Under Barack Obama: Record levels of Black dependence on welfare (Heritage Foundation).
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Under Donald Trump: Record Black employment and wage growth (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; Forbes).
Pointing to today’s numbers tells us nothing about the policies or outcomes during Trump’s presidency. It’s like blaming Reagan for inflation under Jimmy Carter.
2. The Strawman
Critics are attempting to discredit Trump’s economic record by pointing to the current job market. This was under a different administration entirely.
Here are the actual facts:
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In August 2019, Black unemployment hit 5.4%, the lowest level in U.S. history up to that point.
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That progress was interrupted by COVID-19 lockdowns, not by Trump’s economic policies.
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Even after the pandemic shock, Black unemployment rebounded faster than expected.
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By January 2021, when Trump left office, Black unemployment remained lower than during much of the Obama era.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Historical Data.
3. Cherry-Picking Without Context
The spike in Black unemployment in 2025 is far more likely the result of Biden-era inflation, regulatory expansion, and massive federal spending, not a delayed consequence of Trump’s policies.
Citing a 2025 statistic to “disprove” Trump’s economic record is a classic bait-and-switch move. The data from 2017–2020 stands on its own
The Record, in Context
Trump’s economic agenda (driven by tax cuts, deregulation, and energy independence) lifted outcomes across all demographics.
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Black wages grew faster than white wages during his presidency.
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Unemployment hit record lows for Black, Hispanic, and Asian Americans.
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Gains came through job creation and wage growth, not expanded welfare programs.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Economic Report of the President (2020).
our Conservative TAKE
Citing unemployment in 2025 to undermine Trump’s record is like blaming the car’s previous owner for a crash that happened long after you took the wheel. It’s not an argument; it’s deflection.
If critics want an honest debate, let’s talk about the facts that matter:
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Clinton: Mass incarceration
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Obama: Welfare dependency
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Trump: Jobs, rising incomes, and economic dignity
That’s the real record, and it speaks for itself.
