DONKEY: JD Vance Says ‘Black History Is Not Being Erased From Public Spaces’ Under The Trump Administration

Summary

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Podcast Summary: The Breakfast Club

Episode: DONKEY: JD Vance Says ‘Black History Is Not Being Erased From Public Spaces’ Under The Trump Administration

Date: June 17, 2026
Hosts: DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God
Network: The Black Effect Podcast Network and iHeartPodcasts

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Main Theme & Purpose

This episode's main segment—“Donkey of the Day”—focuses on Vice President JD Vance’s recent claim, made during an appearance on The View, that “Black history is not being erased from public spaces” under the Trump administration. Charlamagne Tha God critically analyzes Vance’s statements, contrasts them with documented evidence, and discusses the broader issue of erasure of Black history from public institutions.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. JD Vance’s Claim and Media Appearance

• JD Vance, current VP and author of Communion, appeared on The View and was questioned about policies affecting Black Americans during the Trump administration.
• Whoopi Goldberg and Sunny Hostin challenged him on the erasure of Black history and marginalization of people of color.
• Vance responded by emphasizing crime reduction statistics in Washington D.C. and denied erasure of Black history:

  “Black history is not erased from public policy. I'm telling you we celebrate Black history. We celebrate all American history.” – JD Vance (05:15)

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2. Charlamagne's Criticism of Vance's Response

• Charlamagne calls out the faulty logic of conflating Blackness with crime and not addressing the actual question about erasure:

  “I have no idea why he got asked that question and then tried to equate blackness with crime. Okay, I’m asking about the dismantling of black history in public spaces.” (05:22)

• He highlights that Vance’s claim is factually incorrect and labels it a “blatant lie”, invoking the hypocrisy of Vance’s faith-based messaging:

  “You do know the bible consistently condemns lying, right?... So, for you to go on The View and tell that blatant lie that Black history is not being erased from public spaces... that's not right.” (05:33)

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3. Evidence of Black History Erasure Under the Trump Administration

Charlamagne presents specific examples and news clips to support the claim that Black history is being systematically erased or sidelined:

• Removal of Slavery Information:

  “President Donald Trump has ordered the removal of information on slavery from national parks... including removing this historic photograph called the scourged back.” (06:39)

• Pressuring Museums:

  “The Trump administration told the National Museum of African American History and Culture to remove improper ideology and scrub exhibits that focus on systemic racism.” (06:55)

• Executive Orders:

  “In March, [Trump] signed an executive order directing the Smithsonian... to ‘celebrate American exceptionalism and remove divisive or partisan narratives.’” (07:22)

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4. Funding Cuts & Impact on Black Institutions

• Defunding Museums:
  • Trump administration canceled over 90% of competitive Institute of Museum and Library Services grants.
  • Cut tens of millions from the National Endowment for the Humanities and Arts, specifically against projects focusing on non-white histories.
• Immediate Consequences:
  • The International African American Museum in Charleston, SC, had to furlough its staff due to funding challenges:

    “They have to furlough all their staff, why? Because of financial pressure... We are navigating a shift in the political and funding environment that has made financial operations uniquely more challenging for our institution.” (09:10)

• Litigation:
  • Multiple federal lawsuits have forced the administration to reinstall exhibits on topics like slavery.

    “Why are there so many lawsuits forcing the administration to reinstall exhibits and signs on topics like slavery?” (10:21)

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5. Charlamagne’s Broader Commentary

• On the nature of historical erasure:

  “Black history doesn’t have to vanish completely to be erased. Removing exhibits, historical context and references... is itself a form of erasure.” (10:58)

• Call for public support for Black institutions:

  “If spirit moves you, go to iaamuseum.org and give a couple dollars to the International African American Museum...” (09:44)

• Critique on employment impacts:
  • Points to mass layoffs and cancelled DEI programs due to Trump executive orders and corporate actions by Elon Musk and others, disproportionately affecting Black federal workers.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Charlamagne on JD Vance “walking into” The View:

  “He walked right into that though. I mean, what did he think he was-- you go into The View...” (11:24)

• On the persistence of erasure even as institutions ‘remain open’:

  “When you remove context about slavery or racism... that constitutes a form of erasure. Even if the institutions themselves are still open.” (08:04)

• Summary rebuke:

  “Please give Vice President JD Vance the biggest he-haw. All right? Yes indeed.” (11:15)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:24 – Opening of “Donkey of the Day”, Charlamagne introduces JD Vance and frames the issue
• 04:12 – 05:22 – Excerpts from The View interview; JD Vance’s commentary
• 05:22 – 06:39 – Charlamagne’s critical response and lead-in to evidence
• 06:39 – 08:04 – News montage: examples of erasing Black history from public spaces
• 08:04 – 11:15 – Detailed discussion of funding cuts, lawsuits, and broad consequences
• 11:15 – 11:24 – Final comments and “he-haw” for JD Vance

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Tone & Style

The tone is direct, impassioned, and at times sarcastic—typical of Breakfast Club’s “Donkey of the Day” segments. Charlamagne blends pop-culture awareness with an activist’s urgency, using humor and biting critique to call out political hypocrisy.

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Summary:
This episode critiques JD Vance's denial of the Trump administration’s efforts to erase Black history from public spaces by citing specific examples and consequences, both symbolic and material. Charlamagne emphasizes that erasure isn't always about closing museums, but removing context, funding, and critical narratives, and he urges listeners to remain vigilant and supportive of Black cultural institutions.

Transcript

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

tv show made it it's time for donkey of the day taking black jobs

[Co-host/Guest]

and we have a racist at the

[Charlamagne Tha God]

top you know they've said this about a lot of things no other president could do some of the i'm doing donkey of the day right there so

[Lauren LaRosa]

we are in a state of emergency

[Nissan Representative]

you need to tell them i am

[Charlamagne Tha God]

and we're now left at we're like a bunch of stupid people you are a donkey yes donkey today for wednesday june seventeenth goes to vice president jd vance okay he was on the view yesterday promoting his new book communion which is about his faith and political ambitions now of course he was going to get pressed on the view okay whoopi goldberg and sunny hostin questioned him about the trump administration dismantling black history and sidelining people of color let's listen what

[Co-host/Guest]

did black people do to this administration

[Charlamagne Tha God]

that has allowed it to really stigmatize

[Co-host/Guest]

folks of color i'm talking about black history getting erased from public spaces black voter districts are being dismantled black leaders are being sidelined from our ranks where do americans of color fit in this vision because it doesn't seem like we

[Guest/Panelist]

fit look at washington dc one of the most democratic and one of the blackest by share population blackest cities in the united states of america has seen a radical decrease in violent crimes and sexual assaults and in murders we have tried to take the crime issue seriously in part because we believe everybody whether you're black or white or rich or poor deserves to live in a safe

[Charlamagne Tha God]

neighborhood why was why does the crime where does the crime step in this

[Co-host/Guest]

is not about crime this is about lost their jobs right this is about

[Guest/Panelist]

this is about you what you're saying is we gotta do more on the

[Co-host/Guest]

economy and black history isn't erased from

[Guest/Panelist]

public policy black history is not erased from public policy i'm telling you we celebrate black history we celebrate all american

[Charlamagne Tha God]

history i have no idea why he got asked that question and then tried to equate blackness with crime okay i'm asking about the dismantling of black history in public spaces okay jd vance responded to that and said black history is not being erased from public spaces that is not right okay jd your new book communion is about faith you do know the bible consistently condemns lying right all right they define lying as contrary to the very nature of god because god is truth all right lies falsehoods they're linked to deception and satan so for you to go on the view and tell that blatant lie that black history is not being erased from public spaces by the trump administration there are multiple documented examples of the trump administration altering removing censoring historical exhibits and materials okay dealing with slavery racism and the black american experience okay i call it the obama effect i truly believe this white lash is because of president barack hussein obama they don't want negroes to ever think they can get to the level of sitting in the highest seat in the land ever again and the best way to keep someone from not being who they are okay is by not letting them know who they were to begin with can we play some of the examples of the trump administration

[Co-host/Guest]

erasing black history president donald trump has ordered the removal of information on slavery from national parks that is according to the washington post that includes removing this historic photograph called the scourged back it shows the scars on the back of a formerly enslaved man named peter abolitionists released the photo in eighteen sixty three to show the cruelty of slave masters the trump administration told the national museum of african american history and culture to remove improper ideology and scrub exhibits that focus on systemic racism members of the administration have consistently minimized the horrors of slavery and discounted its foundational role in

[Narrator/Reporter]

shaping america president trump says he has instructed his lawyers to scour through america's museums to rid them of exhibits he considers woke specifically citing exhibits on slavery president trump targeted the smithsonian museums saying they are quote out of control where everything discussed is how horrible our country is how bad slavery was and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been back in march the president signed an executive order directing the smithsonian institution which runs more than twenty museums in washington and elsewhere to quote celebrate american exceptionalism and remove divisive or partisan narratives those are just

[Charlamagne Tha God]

a few okay we can do this all day and i know what supporters of jd vance and maga will say especially the black ones they'll say well you still got black history month okay or they'll say no major black historical sites have been closed museums dedicated to black history they remain open well i would argue that when you remove context about slavery or racism or or civil rights from museums or monuments and federal exhibits that constitutes as a form of erasure okay even if the institutions themselves are still open not to mention when it comes to the museums when the trump administration cancels federal grants for these museums trust and believe that is the beginning of erasing black history from public spaces because these museums will struggle to remain open okay do you know the trump administration canceled over ninety percent of competitive institute of museum and library services grants okay they cut tens of millions from the national endowment for the humanities and the national endowment for the arts you know why they cited that projects focusing on non white american histories no longer serve the interests of the united states okay trust me i'm on the board of the international african american museum in charleston south carolina dropping the clues bombs for the international african american museum right now as we speak they have to furlough all their staff why because of financial pressure okay there was a statement from the museum that read we are navigating a shift in the political and funding environment that has made financial operations uniquely more challenging for our institution this action is being taken to reduce expenses and avoid layoffs while we refocus on sustainable revenue growth and fundraising efforts that just reminded me by the way if spirit moves you go to iaamuseum dot org and give a couple dollars to the international african american museum in charleston okay we got some amazing things we are going to be doing with the museum before the year is over but back to the matter at hand i just don't understand how jd vance can know all those things they can know that the trump administration has removed a censored black history exhibits across the country you know that they slashing federal grants for the museums not to mention the tens of thousands of jobs for black americans that have been lost as a direct result of trump's executive orders to that target diversity equity and inclusion programs and don't forget the cuts that doge and elon musk made to the federal workforce okay where black people have over represented for decades i mean my god if the administration isn't doing this jd vance then why is so many federal lawsuits out there on y' all that y' all are losing okay by the way why are there so many lawsuits forcing the administration to reinstall exhibits and signs on topics like slavery okay why in pennsylvania was the trump administration ordered to restore a slavery exhibit that it had removed related to enslaved black people once legally owned by george washington i'm just asking common sense questions here okay let me tell you something jd vance black history doesn't have to vanish completely to be erased okay removing exhibits historical context and references to slavery and racism from public institutions is itself a form of erasure okay okay please give vice president jd vance the biggest he haw all right yes indeed he walked right into that though he walked right into it i mean what did he

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

the view yeah but yeah and i mean i guess there is no way to answer those questions except for life but it gives us an opportunity to amplify what's going on to shine a light on what's going on all right well thank you for that donkey today yes ma' am donkey of the day is sponsored by renowned personal injury attorney michael the bull laminsoft don't be a donkey when you need a fighter on your side if you're ever injured go to michael the bull dot com that's michael the bull dot com and when you mess with the bull you get the horns

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