Trump advisor Larry Kudlow: 'I don't believe in systemic racism'

Larry Kudlow, White House National Economic Council director, joins "Closing Bell" to talk about racial inequality.

The White House economic advisor said Wednesday that he doesn’t think systemic racism exists in the United States.

“I don’t believe there is systemic racism in the U.S. I’m not going to go into a long riff on it,” Kudlow, who is white, said when a reporter asked about the country’s black unemployment rate. Kudlow spoke to reporters at the White House following an interview on CNBC’s “The Exchange.”

White unemployment fell to 12.4% in May from 14.2% in April, while black unemployment increased to 16.8% from 16.7%. The country’s overall rate declined to 13.3% from 14.7%.

The existence of systemic racism in the United States has been widely acknowledged by experts and academics, as well as by lawmakers and corporate leaders.

Kudlow’s comments Wednesday came as protests against systemic racism and police brutality have filled U.S. cities of all sizes in recent weeks following the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes.

Citigroup Vice Chairman Ray McGuire told CNBC earlier Wednesday that he believes the widespread demonstrations may ultimately lead to changes that reduce racial inequality in the U.S.

“I live through the crisis and the systemic racism every single day, but I say, ‘Maybe George Floyd is different,’” said McGuire, one of the most prominent black executives on Wall Street.

“We need to do whatever we can and commit every resource that we have ... to combat this 400 years of systemic racism across every one of the important areas: education, economics, criminal injustice and health care,” said McGuire, who has been mentioned as a possible New York mayoral candidate in next year’s election.

A recent poll from Monmouth University found about 75% of Americans believe racial and ethnic discrimination is a big problem in the U.S. Experts also point to the disproportionate impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on black Americans as evidence of racial inequality in the U.S.

Kudlow made his remarks shortly before Trump tweeted that he does not want to rename military bases named after Confederate figures. The Trump administration is expected Thursday to release its plan to respond to calls for police reform.

Kudlow, in trying to push back against the existence of systemic racism, touted efforts by the Trump administration on criminal justice reform and historically low unemployment figures for black and Hispanic workers last year.

Asked again by a reporter whether he believes there is systemic racism “at all” in the U.S., Kudlow said, “I do not.”

Kudlow said he believes the “harm comes when you have some very bad apples” in law enforcement, and he condemned Floyd’s death.

“And I think everyone in this country agrees with me,” he said.

[EJ-eruk]

Just because unemployment rates might be lower doesn't have anything to do with systematic racism.

[jaycraford]

This is crazy - how does this fool have a job? The interview should of been cut off after 30 seconds, extremely sad representaron of this country.

My good ness, how embarrassing was this - you can’t even remember the mans name.... ? What a damn shame !

[jwilliamskinsel]

Please DO NOT EVER put Larry Kudlow on this show if you're going to show how blatantly privileged and blatantly racist his is.Let him stick to the markets.

[plisskin]

I like how no one in the media EVER mentions child abandonment rates. That tends to change a family net worth rate....

[DC-ssqj]

He spoke of systematic system the whole interview and in the end he is saying he doesn't even know what's that mine systematic system

[grildcheez]

It's really simple. Double income no kids have the most income and single mother with absentee father in and out of prison has the lowest income and their kids typically will have the weakest shot at good development and educational outcomes. It starts with the family unit.

[loca]

Larry's off the wagon - he's drinking again.

[jhmorgan]

CNBC is scaring my nieces and nephews with this constant racial ranting, the kids are horrified from CNBC racism descriptions of cops killing black people, and that the president told them to do it, I think law suits should be pending, kids can't sleep at night and they're always nervous !!!!

[mwelchable]

I mean he’s right we live in country where opportunities are here for everyone we elected Obama twice how is the system racists, the income is diff because the Democratic Party gets them to rely on a check

[fbrittnany]

He doesn’t understand the term “systemic racism” but says it doesn’t exists 👀🤦🏾‍♀️

[knowitall]

The great black guy who names I've forgotten oh yea... Thurgood Marshall

[sierrannomad]

Highest African-American Employment rate in history: 1859?

[anthonygeorge]

If people investigate deeper, maybe they will find out that there is something to what he is saying; maybe.

[Free_Snooki]

Is he bird-brained? We have never had a black president. Why is he disavowing Obama's background?
_🙄_

[ShutThePuck]

She tells him that blacks with advanced degree's are earning less than whites with only a high school diploma and he argued that black unemployment is the lowest it's ever been. "Thanks ya massa, got ma wood all brights and toasteh!"

[frankoberly]

Larry Kudlow should not be allowed to talk about this topic if he doesn't know what systemic racism is. He spent half of that part of the interview showing his ignorance just to add a cherry on top by not knowing what systemic racism is. Why do people even listen to Larry Kudlow he said we had the Cornavirus wrapped up almost "airtight" in February (WRONG) and he said we didnt have a housing bubble in 2005... Somebody sit Larry down

[nicolasbernardini]

Blacks making less money isn't systematic as it has to do with the free market not the government.

[vowtekohnsurvateevethandth]

Systemic racism is BLM hating on white people. Look at the cities there'sso many migrants working and no high racism like they make u believe on tv.

[thangdang]

"There's no war in Ba Sinh Se"

[ralplwil]

He is embarrassing himself by proving that he has no idea what the definition of SYSTEMIC RACISM is.