Photo: FREDERIC J. BROWN / AFP / Getty Images
A new polling and focus group project examining Black voter engagement during President Donald Trump’s second term suggests fear — not support — is a key reason many Black Americans are not participating in anti-administration protests.
The findings, reported by HuffPost, come from research conducted by HIT Strategies on behalf of the Black Opps Project, a coalition backed by the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, the Black Economic Alliance, SEIU, and Way To Win.
According to the survey, 32% of registered Black voters said they worry they could face arrest if they publicly fight back against government actions harming Black communities. Another 32% said they fear mob violence. Eighteen percent said speaking out could harm them professionally.
“It’s a dangerous game to play for Black people to put their face out or say certain things right now,” one male focus group participant told researchers, per HuffPost, citing concerns about job loss.
Another participant said asserting themselves in protest feels risky given expanded police power and the potential for violence.
Terrence Woodbury, a pollster at HIT Strategies who led the project, told the outlet that fear extends beyond physical spaces to online activity, noting that people are wary of becoming targets for expressing political views.
The research also found dissatisfaction with leadership. While 63% of Black voters said congressional Democrats have a major role in pushing back against harmful policies, only 36% described them as “very active.” Civil rights groups and Black church leaders received similar marks.
Overall, 59% of Black voters said Trump’s policies have personally harmed them. Among young Black men, that number dropped to 41%, with 42% saying his policies have had no impact.
Researchers say the data does not show increased support for Trump, but rather a climate of fear, cynicism, and doubt about whether resistance leads to change.
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