U.S. Congressman Byron Donalds (R-FL) is being considered as a vice presidential pick for former President Donald Trump‘s 2024 ticket. Donalds, a native New Yorker, appeared at Trump’s rally in the Bronx yesterday where he threw MAGA hats into the crowd and declared the borough “MAGA country.” He also led the audience to cheer, “Let’s Go Brandon.”
The phrase is used in right-wing circles as a stand-in for swearing at President Joe Biden.
checking in on the Trump rally in the Bronx pic.twitter.com/YJC0Su1cEF
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 23, 2024
[Note: Democratic Bronx Congressman Ritchie Torres questioned the crowd at the rally: “Donald Trump’s rally may be IN the South Bronx but it is not OF the South Bronx. Bluntly put, the Trump transplants are much whiter than the locals of the South Bronx, which is almost entirely Latino and Black.”]
Donalds isn’t the first elected official to use the “Let’s Go Brandon” phrase in public. His Republican colleague, Rep. Bill Posey of Florida, once ended a speech on the House floor with a fist pump and the phrase “Let’s go, Brandon!”
The Bronx is now MAGA COUNTRY! pic.twitter.com/xU5gGyDx7I
— Byron Donalds (@ByronDonalds) May 23, 2024
Donalds used a more serious tone when interviewed last night by Abby Phillips on CNN. As seen in the clip below, after Phillips points out that Donalds avoided doing jail time for a drug charge when he was 18, she pressed him on why he supports “a bill that would take away a chance for the same kind of leniency for young offenders in DC.”
Phillip: I just want to note that you are not responding to a very simple question about a conspiracy theory that you voiced.. It’s pretty extraordinary that when faced with clear facts, you won’t acknowledge it pic.twitter.com/6fLyMoskCb
— Acyn (@Acyn) May 24, 2024
At 21, Donalds faced more charges and also did not go to jail — instead serving two years of probation. Donalds says after his probation, he became a good citizen; Phillips points out “Congressman, there’s no question there was leniency available to you. That is why you have such an extraordinary story.”