What We're Watching

Could Black and Christian voters put Trump over the top?

Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump gestures during a campaign event in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., June 22, 2024.
Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump gestures during a campaign event in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., June 22, 2024.
REUTERS/Tom Brenner TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

As Thursday’s presidential debate in Atlanta looms, presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump is actively courting Black voters. At a rally in Philadelphia on Saturday, the former president promised to get tough on crime and slammed “Joe Biden's open border” as “a disaster for our great African-American and Hispanic-American populations.”

Rep. Byron Donalds – a Black Republican representing Florida’s 19th district who has been touted as a possible Trump VP pick — told Fox News Sunday he thinks Trump could make major inroads in the community if he runs against Biden’s record. A recent CNN poll showed Trump’s support among the Black community tripling to 21%. Despitepolls showing Biden’s Black support shrinking, Democratic campaign co-chair Mitch Landrieu says there’s “no universe” in which Trump woos 21% of Black votes. Still, Landrieu’s team does seem worried: They recently launched Black Voters for Biden-Harristo shore up support.

Trump is imploring Evangelical voters to tick his box, but his refusal to promise a national abortion ban may hurt him. At a weekend event in Washington organized by the conservative Christian Faith and Freedom Coalition, Trump was met with chants of "No dead babies!” He managed to win the crowd back with comments about supporting the posting of the Ten Commandments in public schools, and by reminding the crowd of his appointments to the Supreme Court, which overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.

For more on how America’s racial dynamics are playing out in the 2024 election, GZERO’s Bloc by Bloc series has you covered. Alex Kliment covers where the Latino vote is going below, and Riley Callanan has written more about Black voters here.

More For You

World Central Kitchen staff hand out free soup in a neighbourhood that experiences electricity and heating outages following recent Russian attacks on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure during subzero temperatures in Kyiv, Ukraine February 3, 2026.
REUTERS/Thomas Peter

1,170: The number of high-rise buildings in Kyiv that were left without heating following a barrage of Russian attacks last night on Ukraine’s capital and its energy facilities, per Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi hold up signed documents regarding securing the supply of critical minerals and rare earths, at a bilateral meeting at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Japan, October 28, 2025.

REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

Representatives from the European Union, United Kingdom, Japan, and others will meet in Washington this week to discuss a strategic alliance on critical minerals.

People take part in a rally in support of Czech President Petr Pavel, organised by Million Moments for Democracy group in reaction to dispute between President Pavel and Czech Foreign Minister and Motorists chair Petr Macinka, in Prague, Czech Republic, February 1, 2026.
REUTERS/Eva Korinkova

80,000: The number of people estimated to be in the streets of Czechia on Sunday to show their support for President Petr Pavel after he blocked the nomination of an environmental minister who performed the Nazi salute and posted Nazi memorabilia.

US President Donald Trump and musician Nicki Minaj hold hands onstage at the US Treasury Department's Trump Accounts Summit, in Washington, D.C., USA, on January 28, 2026.
REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

The US has started handing $1,000 to the bank accounts of newborn babies. But can policies like this one help boost sagging birthrates in advanced democracies?