Trump tells black churchgoers in Detroit ‘I’m here to learn’

But while Trump’s visit shined a light on the nominee and Detroit – “Motown needs every spotlight it can get, even one whose glare is a reminder that someone who has never set foot in a black church could be inaugurated in January” – it underscored a far more troubling reality in politics.

I talked to a few other folks on the street in this black neighborhood, and they said the outreach from Trump was just too little, too late. He also told The Detroit News he will return to MI soon to visit Flint.

While several members of Great Faith Ministries said they were impressed that he visited their church and are willing to consider him, others were sceptical of his motives.

As the congregation sang Trump could be seen with his eyes closed, a smile on his face, seemingly swaying to the music.

Trump has been faulted for largely ignoring the black community during his campaign, and bypassing appearances before black churches and organisations in favour of rowdy, largely white rallies.

During his 20-minute speech he pulled out all the stops to appeal to the congregation.

The African-American community has been “one of God’s greatest gifts to America and to its people”, and there is no action than the country could do that would heal the nation than to “provide a greater platform to the black churches and churchgoers”.

“Hillary Clinton-backed policies are responsible for the problems in the inner cities today, and a vote for her is a vote for another generation of poverty, high crime, and lost opportunities”, Trump said, adding that those failed policies “have ruined the schools”. The New York Times leaked a copy of the script, which was likely written by his advisors at the National Diversity Coalition, with erudite phrases like “educational attainment”, “perpetrated a permanent underclass” and, “The proof, as they say, will be in the pudding”.

The message of Trump’s visit is “at the end of the day, contrary to what Democrats say, ‘I’m not a bigot, my heart is in the right place, ‘” O’Connell said.

African-American community leaders, in particular, have railed against Trump’s dire depictions of minority life and dismissed his message as intended more to reassure white voters that he’s not racist than to help communities of color.

“I want to be me”.

“I will always support your church always and defend your right to worship”, said Trump, who was introduced by Bishop Wayne T. Jackson to what could only be described as polite applause. “We want this to be as peaceful as possible”, he told the Times. “They will be made right”, Mr Trump said.

But people attending the service said they were eager to hear Trump’s message and were keeping an open mind about the November 8 election. But, not everyone was supportive of Trump’s visit.

“I would like to see what his economic plans are regarding the African-American community”, Alphonso Wallace said. “I still don’t believe he’s qualified to lead the most powerful country in the world and be the most powerful man in the world”. “It’s frightening to think that I could have to turn the TV off when the president of the United States is on because it’s not appropriate for my children”.

Trump also sat for an interview with Jackson that will be aired at a later date.

“I believe that Trump coming to Detroit is a joke, and I’m ashamed of the pastor who invited him”, she said. Trump’s approach to grabbing the black vote has softened since last month.