ESPN journalist Jemele Hill said a planned meeting between President Trump and prominent black figures, reportedly including NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick and rapper Kanye West, would be a “photo op” and “chew toy” for Trump’s base.
Kaepernick and West were reportedly invited to the White House along with other prominent figures to meet with Trump and discuss race issues. Details about the meeting have yet to be announced, but Hill is warning invitees to be skeptical of the event.
“That to me made it seem as if this is really about a photo op,” Hill said to Complex, in regards to the lack of race relations experts rumored to attend.
While the outspoken Trump critic said she sees this meeting as an “optic” for the president ahead of the midterm elections, she also warned of potential consequences if they don’t attend.
“I think maybe the other part of it, too, is that if some of these musicians and athletes who have been critical of him, if they don’t show up, that will also be used as a chew toy for his base again to say, ‘See, I tried but this,’” she explained.
Hill was briefly suspended from ESPN in October after she penned a series of tweets labeling the president as a “white supremacist” and urging fans to participate in boycotts.
