Opinion: Even when it is OK to criticize Trump, Owens misses the mark

When word spread that President Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social account a blatantly racist image that depicted Barack and Michelle Obama as primates, Utah Congressional Representative Burgess Owens’ initial response was to defend the president.

Owens issued the feeble response that “we all make mistakes,” and that Owens knows “President Trump’s heart.” Setting aside the measure of Trump’s “heart,” the quality of which is on display to the world every day, Owens’s reaction ignores that Trump’s post was only his latest in a long line of similar racism.

This includes calling the entire nation of Somalis “garbage,” claiming for years that Barack Obama was born in Africa, insulting women of color at nearly every opportunity as “low IQ,” claiming we need more immigrants from white Scandinavian countries instead of predominantly black “s---hole countries” like Haiti, and claiming female American congresswomen of color should “go back” to the “broken and crime infested places from which they came.”

Nearly every day, Americans are deluged with despicable words and actions from President Trump. Recenrtly, in responding to a female reporter asking about Epstein’s victims and his administration’s continued refusal to provide transparency, Trump brought out the old sexist insult that the reporter should smile more, while berating her as “the worst reporter.”

Despite Owens initially defending President Trump’s racist post as a mere mistake by someone with a caring heart, later in the day Owens apparently realized that this was one of those rare times where other Republicans were actually allowed to criticize something Trump did. And it also came to light that even President Trump distanced himself from the post, claiming that a staffer posted it (however implausibly). Owens therefore changed his tune, now asserting that the content he previously defended is instead “wildly offensive” and “especially troubling.” Notably, Owens was unwilling to state the obvious truth that the post is racist.

During Black History Month, we recall with gratitude that the civil rights movement paved the way for Black Americans to access opportunities that were once denied to them. Representative Owens is among those who benefited from the sacrifices of individuals who risked — and in many cases gave — their lives so future generations would not have to face the horrific obstacles and oppression Black Americans have faced for centuries.

In high school, Owens and three other Black students joined the football team as part of the desegregation efforts of the 1960s. Later, as a star athlete at the University of Florida and eventually a 1975 NFL draft pick, he faced the stereotypes and positional discrimination that Black players routinely endured.

Fast-forward to today. It is deeply troubling to see Congressman Owens dismiss the type of racism that so many Black Americans have fought against for generations.

Additionally, what is all the more troubling is that Trump’s racism is not limited to online posts or racist insults in his press briefings. As The Guardian has reported, “Donald Trump has assembled the least diverse US government of the 21st century, filling the corridors of power with white men at the expense of women and people of color, research shows.” The Trump Administration, and the current Republican party at seemingly all levels (including in Utah), mock the very idea that diverse individuals are qualified and capable of filling high level positions. Utah has famously even made it illegal for Utah’s colleges to have groups that foster diversity and inclusion.

Just Mercy author Bryan Stevenson’s Equal Justice Initiative has noted with appropriate concern the Trump Administration’s "Project to Dishonor Black Americans in 2025," which includes its actions to revert the names of military bases back to Confederate Traitors and white supremacists.

These racist attacks are also evident in the ongoing ICE occupation in Minnesota, where people of color are being racially profiled and subject to an onslaught of countless abuses and violations.

As citizens, we must learn from our past rather than excuse irresponsible behavior. The NAACP Salt Lake Branch denounces Representative Burgess Owens for repeatedly excusing the behavior of the President of the United States. Bullying and discriminatory conduct should never be tolerated from anyone in public office. Racism should be called out with clarity and conviction, regardless of whether it upsets those in power. Every person deserves dignity and respect, regardless of political affiliation.

Utah is better than this. The people of Utah strive to respect one another. We do not excuse any discriminatory behavior, including toward Black people, immigrants, refugees, or the LGBTQ community. Our state’s values demand better.

Jeanetta Williams is president, of the NAACP Salt Lake Branch & Tri-State Conference of Idaho, Nevada and Utah.

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