President Donald Trump made his first trip to the National Museum of African American History and Culture early Tuesday morning with a King at his side.
Alveda King, the niece of Martin Luther King Jr., and a staunch anti-abortion conservative, was part of the president’s delegation during the morning tour of the Smithsonian’s newest and most popular museum.
“This museum is a beautiful tribute to so many American heroes. It’s amazing to see,” Trump said in a brief statement after the tour. “We did a pretty comprehensive tour, but not comprehensive enough.”
Along with King, Trump was joined by HUD Secretary Ben Carson and Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina. Scott, a Republican, is one of only three black United States senators and the only member of the GOP.
Trump’s visit to the museum could be seen as an acknowledgement to a large constituency of voters who overwhelmingly supported Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election. Only 8 percent of black voters supported Trump and blacks are still hesitant to support the 45th president.
King, the daughter of A.D. King, sees that shifting.
“I believe that President Trump’s willingness to come to the museum with Secretary Carson, Sen. Scott, and me, who prays a lot, was a good thing.”
