After a journalist spread misinformation, they quickly deleted a video claiming that a prominent member of the Black Panther Party had endorsed Donald Trump for president. The activist’s grandson had threatened to obtain a cease and desist order, prompting the reporter to take down the misleading content.
On social media, Eric Jones made it abundantly clear that his 81-year-old grandfather, David Hilliard, does not support Trump and was exploited in the video because of his current “cognitive issues.”
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According to the New York Post, Carol Mitchell uploaded the video on TikTok last Sunday. The website Leading Report, which is known for spreading misinformation, also shared the interview on X.
Carol Mitchell, presumably a Black woman, presented Hilliard in a reposted version of the video.
Mitchell introduced me to someone who had personal experience with Donald Trump and was willing to share his perspective. With a quick camera pass, Hilliard took the stage to provide insight in his own words.
David Hilliard, a founding member of the Black Panther Party, revealed that during his time as a college student in New York, Donald Trump supported the party. Hilliard stated, “My name is David Hilliard and I knew Trump when he was a college student in New York. He supported the Black Panther Party, and that’s how I know Trump.”
According to Hilliard, when questioned about it, he stated that Trump was a “good person” and “a generous donor to the Black Panthers.”
According to Hilliard, he has known Trump since the 1960s back in New York, where Trump hails from. Hilliard believes that Trump is a friend of African Americans and a supporter of the Black community. In Hilliard’s opinion, Trump is not a racist as a white man and has always been supportive of Black people.
Hilliard expressed that Trump has a fondness for Africans in America and Black individuals. According to Hilliard, Trump holds the qualities of being capable and honorable.
Mitchell rambled about how Trump could assist individuals in earning more money.
Jones accused Mitchell of being deceitful during their conversation on Tuesday.
In his own video posted on X, he clarified that his grandfather was setting the record straight about his views on Donald Trump and the 34 guilty verdict-count, which Mitchell allegedly misrepresented in the interview.
According to Hilliard, Donald Trump had been their realtor and owned most of the properties they lived in Harlem. This was the foundation of their relationship.
Jones emphasized that his statement only pertains to the past and should not be interpreted as a form of endorsement for any current political figure, including Donald Trump or any other candidate.
“Indeed, that’s correct,” Hilliard agreed.
Jones emphasized that their decision to cut ties with Ms. Carol was rooted in history. “She will be receiving a cease and desist letter to halt any further communication with my grandfather,” he stated firmly. “What she did was not acceptable.”
Jones mentioned on X that his grandfather has been experiencing cognitive difficulties since 2014 and is not even aware of Trump’s current political status.
In a recent tweet, he expressed his disappointment with the spread of lies and how they can quickly outpace the truth. He wrote, “It’s disheartening to see how quickly a lie can spread, while the truth struggles to catch up. These individuals even went so far as to try and label my Grandpa as a Maga supporter, but I won’t let that happen on my watch.”
On Wednesday afternoon, the video by Mitchell was taken down, and Leading Report did not provide any link to it on their post or website. Nevertheless, the video still continued to be shared through posts and retweets on Mitchell’s X page.
