At a heated Philadelphia town hall, DNC vice chair Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta drew sharp comparisons between President Donald Trump and historical segregationists, including George Wallace and Bull Connor, during a fiery exchange that highlighted the tensions within the Democratic Party. Kenyatta accused the administration of relying on ‘historical revisionism’ to justify divisive policies, warning of the ongoing racial strife that echoes past Jim Crow-era tactics.
The event, which attracted a large crowd in America’s sixth-largest city, saw Kenyatta speak about ‘would-be autocrats and would-be kings,’ remarking that ‘these guys are a–holes, but they’re not super creative.’ He criticized Trump’s governing style as reminiscent of historical figures who used censorship and misinformation to ‘forget who we are as Americans.’
Kenyatta underscored the importance of remembering pivotal moments in American civil rights history, such’the protests of female suffragists, civil rights leaders like the late Rep. John Lewis, and the Stonewall demonstrations for gay rights. He warned that ‘we now benefit from knowing the end of the story,’ but emphasized that the activists of the past faced ‘dogs at the end of the damn bridge’ and ‘fire hoses’ as they fought for equality.
He referenced the use of force by then-Birmingham Public Safety Commissioner Theophilus ‘Bull’ Connor against civil rights protesters, drawing direct parallels to the current political climate. ‘That is where we are right now in our moment of the story. We can see the dogs. We can see the firehoses,’ he declared, accusing Trump of advocating for ‘segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever’—a direct nod to George Wallace’s infamous campaign slogan from the 1960s.
Kenyatta rejected the idea of bowing to a ‘king,’ stating, ‘I’m certainly not kissing the ring of a king.’ He emphasized Philadelphia’s history of resistance to authoritarian rule, asserting that the city’s residents have a ‘bad relationship’ with such figures and are unwilling to change that dynamic.
Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke, who recently failed to unseat Sen. Ted Cruz in Texas, called on Democrats to ‘show up for anything’ their constituents want, even if it means breaking established norms. He argued that states led by Democrats, like Texas, must take the initiative to redistrict in ways that favor Democratic candidates, despite pushback from traditionalists within the party.
White House spokesperson Harrison Fields condemned Kenyatta’s comments, accusing the DNC of fostering racial division and failing to deliver for their constituents. He defended Trump’s record on racial progress, claiming that Black Americans are ‘clearly not buying these tiresome narratives’ and should instead ‘partner with the Trump Administration to further its historic agenda that is bringing prosperity to all Americans.’