FOX NEWS
Donald Trump was encouraged to run for another term as president as he hosted a Black History Month event at the White House.
The Republican asked the crowd whether he should “run again”, prompting them to cheer and chant “four more years”.
Mr Trump began his second term in office last month, meaning he is banned from serving another stint in the White House under the 22nd Amendment.
“Just a few months ago, the people in this room and millions of other black Americans played their own part in the American story, when you went to the voting booths and restored a nice, good, solid government,” he said on Thursday.
“I’m proud to say that we received – listen to this – more votes for black Americans than any Republican president ever, almost 40 per cent of the vote.”
He added: “Should I run again? You tell me.”
Donald Trump speaks to the audience in the White House on Thursday – Win McNamee/Getty Images North America
Mr Trump grinned as the crowd cheered, quipping: “There’s your controversy right there,” in what appeared to be a reference to critical coverage of suggestions that he could run for office again.
The audience then chanted: “Four more years,” which is normally heard during a president’s re-election campaign rather than after they have returned to the White House.
An exit poll by the Associated Press found that Mr Trump had taken around 20 per cent of votes among African Americans in the 2024 presidential election, compared to 80 per cent for his Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris.
His performance had improved considerably compared to previous elections in 2016, where he won eight per cent of the black vote, and 2020, where he took 13 per cent.
Republicans led the push to introduce presidential term limits with the 22nd Amendment following the death of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the Democrat who had won an unprecedented four terms, in 1945.
Mr Trump was joined for the Black History Month event by Tiger Woods, the golfer and five-time winner of the Master’s, whom he awarded the presidential medal of freedom in his first term.
At the start of his speech, the US president introduced Albert Bourla, chief executive of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, as “one of the great, great people” and “one of the great businessmen”.
Mr Bourla was loudly booed by the crowd – possibly a response to Pfizer’s leading role in manufacturing Covid-19 vaccines, which has been criticised by some conservatives.
Mr Trump appeared to laugh slightly as the Pfizer boss raised his eyebrows at the reaction.
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