The absence of diversity in the President Trump’s administration has been a subject of ongoing debate.
In an interview on Thursday with “The Breakfast Club,” a radio show based in New York City, Angela Rye, an attorney, political commentator and a leader of the Congressional Black Caucus Institute, implied that the predominantly white, White House is intentional.
“This is the least diverse White House in decades,” Rye said. “They are definitely trying to bring it back to the real white house.”
According to an analysis from The New York Times, Trump’s cabinet contains more white men than that of the last six presidents. Trump’s 24-member advisory body has four women and four minorities.
The radio show hosts asked Rye if Black people should aspire to work in the White House to try and bring about change.
Rye responded: “Should I go work for the KKK and try to help them not be so racist Probably not.”
Trump’s racism has been well documented, from calling immigrants “animals,” “criminals,” and “rapists,” to his “sh**hole countries” comment about African countries, to saying Maxine Waters has a “low IQ,” and calling Black athletes “sons of bitches.”
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White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders has said she “can’t guarantee” that Trump has never used a racial epithet, yet also said the White House values diversity, and is trying to increase it.
After being pressed by reporters to give numbers of Black staffers in the West Wing, Sanders said, “I’m not going to do a count — the same way I’m not going to do a sit-down and count up the [number of Black] staffers that are in your news organizations.”
In April, the White House drew backlash for its lack of diversity after releasing a photo of spring interns who appeared to be all white.
Obama’s White House had seven women and 10 minorities in his first 22-member Cabinet, including Valerie Jarrett, a senior advisor who sat in the West Wing, in many meetings including the situation room.
That’s 32% female and 45% minorities for Obama, and 17% female and minorities for Trump.
Of Trump’s White House: “There’s not a single Black person shaping policy, sitting in the White House,” said Rye. “Steven Miller, a bigot, is shaping immigration policy.”
