An Atlanta man claims he was tricked into holding a pro-Trump event at his barbershop, but representatives for the Republican presidential nominee have released documents that appear to prove the business owner was aware of specifics of the event.
Rocky Jones told local reporters that he was approached by a friend to host a roundtable for small Black businesses in the Buckhead barbershop a day before the first 2024 presidential at CNN Studios.
However, he said he was shocked that the June 26 event, titled Black American Business Leaders Barbershop Roundtable, was a political forum that featured Black male supporters of Donald Trump, including Trump’s former HUD Secretary, Dr. Ben Carson, and GOP Rep. Byron Donalds.
“I feel like I have been betrayed,” Jones told Atlanta News First on Friday, June 28.
State records list the CEO of the business as Javier Jones.
Instead of a small, private gathering, the barbershop drew reporters, cameras and a hands-free phone call from Trump.
“I honestly didn’t think about it. It was just once you say Black small business give back to the community, it’s like, ‘OK, I’m doing it,’” continued Jones, who told the local outlet he owned the business. “Just be aware that it is election season, and the timing seems a little suspect.”
However, a June 29 X post from Trump War Room, the official account of the 2024 Trump campaign, paints a far different picture of how much Jones knew about the event.
According to Trump War Room’s post, Javier Jones signed an agreement with the campaign’s treasurer, Bradley Crate, on June 26 to host the event at Rocky’s Barbershop. The document was stamped at 11:45 a.m.
The agreement shows Jones agreed to rent his business to Donald Trump for President, Inc. for a “political event” from noon to 2 p.m. for $4,800. The document also includes a section titled “Event Security,” which states, “owner acknowledges and agrees that the Event may feature individuals under the protection of U.S. Secret Service, and that Secret Service will operate in connection with the Event…”
So far, Jones has yet to respond to Trump’s campaign’s release of the agreement, but he told 11Alive that word about the event has harmed his business and caused the shop to lose customers.
“We had some calls Thursday. We definitely got some calls, some backlash, some angry people that don’t know me, and I have to deal with that,” he told the local outlet.
Trump War Room’s post with the agreement drew over 200 replies on X, with many mocking and condemning the business owner for allegedly lying.
“Receipts don’t lie,” one X user wrote.
However, some pointed out that Jones dated the agreement on June 26, 2026, under his signature and that it was signed just 15 minutes before the event.
“Something appears strange with this contract. It’s very interesting they would present a contract 15 minutes before the event started, for the owner to sign. So it is very possible, feeling under pressure with a $4k+ payment for 2 hours, that he didn’t have a chance to read it…” one X user wrote.
