Former MSNBC host and political analyst Joy Reid is urging Black communities not to fall for what she calls a calculated political maneuver by President Donald Trump, following his latest round of controversial pardons and sentence commutations.
In a recent conversation with theGrio and on her Instagram page, Reid warned that Trump’s actions—pardoning 16 individuals, including rapper NBA YoungBoy, reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley, and notorious Chicago gang leader Larry Hoover—are less about justice and more about reshaping public perceptions of criminality for political gain.
“The Trump regime is trying to reset what criminality means,” Reid said, noting that while Trump himself was recently found guilty on 88 felony counts in New York, his messaging now attempts to frame “corruption, graft” as acceptable, even patriotic behavior.
Reid’s comments came in response to what she called a deliberate attempt by Trump to conflate pop culture relevance with social justice.
“The Larry Hoover commutation? That was a message pardon,” she said. “Trump is saying, ‘Look at this. I’m going to pardon someone referenced in hip hop. Now you need to love me.’”
But Reid says communities of color must see through the façade.
In the same breath, she highlighted the case of Congresswoman LaMonica McIver, who was recently charged after intervening to protect fellow Black lawmaker Bonnie Watson Coleman from federal agents. Reid called the incident “a dangerous message” that criminalizes Black women in leadership for simply standing up for one another.
“To say her attempt to physically protect an elder is a crime… that’s a dangerous message to send in a society that’s supposed to be bound by the rule of law,” Reid said.
The Emmy-nominated journalist sees a pattern in Trump’s pardons—framing the Capitol insurrection as patriotism, while absolving individuals convicted of serious financial crimes.
“He’s establishing that in his mind, corruption and defrauding others aren’t crimes,” Reid was emphatic.
Her warning is clear: “Don’t be fooled.” While some pardons may seem performative or even appealing, especially when connected to celebrities or cultural icons, Reid argues they serve as political bait, especially aimed at Black communities who are among the most affected by policies under the Trump administration.
