Name: Trump campaign denies involvement in racist texts
Uploaded: 2024-11-09T21:45:05.085Z
Duration: 2 min 12 s
Description: Racist texts with references to ‘picking cotton,’ ‘plantations’ and ‘slave catchers’ have been sent to Black people in at least 20 U.S. states shortly after the presidential election. The Trump campaign denies any involvement.

Racist texts with references to ‘picking cotton,’ ‘plantations’ and ‘slave catchers’ have been sent to Black people in at least 20 U.S. states shortly after the presidential election. The Trump campaign denies any involvement.

Tuscaloosa

Racist text messages referencing "picking cotton," "plantations," and "slave catchers" have been sent to Black individuals across at least 20 U.S. states following the presidential election. These messages, containing hateful and abhorrent content, have caused significant distress and concern among recipients. The texts, some of which mentioned Donald Trump, were reportedly sent using anonymous services, with at least some routed through an encryption service in Poland and others via the Canadian app TextNow.

Authorities have taken notice, with law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, initiating investigations into the origins of these messages. TextNow has responded by disabling the offending accounts and is coordinating with law enforcement as part of the investigative process. The Trump campaign has denied any involvement in sending these messages. Meanwhile, civil rights organizations argue that President Trump's rhetoric has emboldened those behind such racist actions.

Opinions on the possible nature of this campaign vary, with a former FBI officer suggesting potential foreign interference. Alongside these investigations, the messages have heightened anxiety and fear among the targeted communities. Legal authorities, including the Louisiana attorney general, continue to scrutinize the technical pathways used to send these messages to determine accountability and prevent further incidents.



Trump campaign denies involvement in racist texts

I looked at my phone and I read that message and I immediately started crying. Elise McCall is one of countless black Americans targeted with racist text messages like this one telling them they'd been selected to pick cotton on a plantation the day after the U.S. election. This is truly disgusting and whoever's sending it out is vile. No one should ever one think to send that message or receive that message. It just made me sick to my stomach. The anonymous texts sent across the country, some directly referencing Donald Trump. I am one of Donald Trump's associates and your cotton picket centers are from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. It's been brought to my attention that people are receiving vile racist text messages and emails. Louisiana's attorney general says some were sent using an encryption service in Poland, but we have no way of knowing where the individual is who's actually sending the emails. Others came through Canadian app TextNow, the Waterloo, Ontario-based company saying it quickly disabled the accounts and it's working with law enforcement. People are weaponizing technology in ways that are again exacerbating unresolved hurt. The Trump team says the messages have nothing to do with them, but the NAACP and other civil rights organizations say Trump's rhetoric has emboldened racist actors. His campaign filled with dehumanizing language. They're eating the dogs. The people that came in, they're eating the cats. This former FBI officer says foreign interference may be to blame. This is just seems to be falling in a persistent pattern of misinformation operations directed by foreign governments into the United States. No matter the source, the messages have left so many deeply shaken. I am overwhelmed with anxiety and fear about how I'm going to help my children make sense of the world that they have to navigate as Black children. The messages have been reported in at least 20 states with law enforcement agencies investigating. The FBI says it's aware and is in contact with the Justice Department. Ellen Mauro, CBC News, Washington.

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