Despite being fired for criticizing then-Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, former Housing and Urban Development official Shermichael Singleton doesn’t regret his Op-Ed voicing concerns about Trump’s Black outreach during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Singleton, who is a staunch Republican, told CNN’s Don Lemon that he was disappointed initially when he found out that he would be let go on Feb. 15, but after a week, he came to terms with it.
“I was disappointed,” Singleton says on the Wednesday, Feb. 22, edition of “CNN Tonight.” “I said, ‘OK, look, you can either be upset about this and do nothing or be a grown-up and say it’s OK. You’re American, there are still things you can do to continue to help the administration move forward.'”
Last year, Singleton wrote an impassionate article hammering the Republican party for nominating a man who “doesn’t represent any of our values, principles or traditions.” He also wasn’t too fond of Trump’s language regarding inner cities and Black communities.
“Donald Trump portrays our inner cities as if they are the ailments of American society and should be exterminated and swiftly removed,” Singleton wrote in the op-ed. “He never mentions the many hardworking, good and honest people who are simply trying the best they can to achieve their share of the American dream.”
However, the former official, who served under HUD Secretary Dr. Ben Carson, claimed that since his firing, he has changed his stance and believes the president is making strides in the right direction in addressing Black issues.
He mentioned the Trump administration’s plans for historically Black colleges and universities and Trump’s recent visit to the National Museum of African American History and Culture with Carson as examples.
“You have a perspective at a time based on certain variables,” Singleton explains. “But when presented with new information, your opinion can change. … I think you have to give credit that efforts are attempted to be made.”
