Byron Donalds: 'As a Black man in America I'm Allowed to Have my own Thoughts'

Florida Rep. Byron Donalds (R) is getting snubbed by the all-Democratic Congressional Black Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives because it appears that he does not fit the bill for being in the all-Black group.

Rep. Donalds is Black but is also a Conservative Republican.

In September 2020, before he was elected to the House of Representatives, The Floridian sat down with now-Rep. Byron Donalds at his campaign office to ask him if he would follow in the footsteps of former Rep. Allen West and seek to join the Democrat-only Congressional Black Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Donalds said he would seek membership into the exclusive and divisive group, that hesitantly allowed Rep. West to join, but only after making him wait months on end, and after significant negative media coverage.

“Working with the members of the Congressional Black Caucus on the issues that line up with my principles should be easy but I also think it’s important that in the Congressional Black Caucus we have people from all sides of politics that are black to be a member of that caucus,” said Donalds.

In a request for comment about Donalds’ potential blacklisting from the CBC, West stated, “Just goes to show how divisive things have become. If Rep. Donalds is not welcomed then it’s no longer the Congressional Black Caucus, it’s the Democrat Black caucus”

Earlier today, Donalds appeared on CNN to discuss his possible banning from the group and was questioned by the host over his support for former President Donald Trump, and the alleged and perceived racist statements he has made.

Donalds took issue.

“As a black man in America I'm allowed to have my own thoughts on who I choose to support and who I choose not to support,” said Donalds. “I think that it's important whether you're talking about the Congressional Black Caucus or the Florida State legislative Black Caucus, or the national caucus of state black legislators, organizations I have been a part of in the past. My support of President Trump has been consistent but at the same time I've had the ability to advocate for issues, ideas proposals, and funding that have helped the black community in my state.”

Donalds added that his support for Trump has nothing to do with him joining the CBC.

“So whether my support my support for President Trump or whether it's for or against is irrelevant that has nothing to do with this discussion, this is whether the ideology of somebody who is conservative is welcome in the Congressional Black Caucus, it s really that simple, and so to bring up president trump is trying to make this about him does not matter it's irrelevant it has nothing to do with the situation in hand,” concluded Donalds.