White South Africans Could Get Kids’ Trump Biography in Refugee Welcome Package
WASHINGTON, Dec 18 (Reuters) – White South Africans arriving in the United States as refugees could get a biography of President Donald Trump for children as part of a welcome package proposed last week by an administration official, emails reviewed by Reuters showed.
The book, “Donald Trump Biography for Kids: An Inspiring Story of One of America’s Most Famous Presidents,” was suggested by Fred Cooper, a Trump appointee who serves as deputy assistant secretary in a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, according to a Dec. 8 internal email reviewed by Reuters.
The 89-page biography, designed for children ages 8 to 12, portrays the Republican president as an inspiring figure whose life “is a master class in determination, resilience, confidence and dreaming big.”
Cooper also suggested that the welcome package include a biography of Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States. Trump has praised Jackson, a fellow populist, although Jackson has faced historical criticism for owning slaves and driving Native Americans from their lands.
“I imagine these books wouldn’t be a problem?” Cooper said in the email, linking to biographies of Trump and Jackson. The email did not say how much the US government might pay for the biographies.
HHS and Cooper did not respond to requests for comment.
Peter W. Stevenson/The Washington Post via Getty Images
The planned welcome package, if realized, would support Trump’s efforts to bring thousands of white South Africans to the United States as refugees. The program has sparked a backlash from the South African government and refugee groups.
Trump froze refugee admissions from around the world after taking office in January, but weeks later launched an effort to attract Afrikaners of European descent from majority-black South Africa. Trump has said these people were victims of violence and racial discrimination, claims the South African government strongly denies.
On Wednesday, South African authorities said they would deport Kenyans hired to work in the United States refugee program, alleging they were using inappropriate visas.
In the past, refugees have received materials that explain American history and culture, but they typically do not promote specific presidents or ideologies, three veteran refugee workers said.
Trump’s biography chronicles his childhood in New York City and his successes and failures as a businessman, including the bankruptcy of his luxury Taj Mahal casino and hotel in Atlantic City.
The book includes highlights from Trump’s presidency from 2017 to 2021, from the construction of a wall along the US-Mexico border to efforts to combat COVID-19.
In a chapter titled “Challenges and Controversies,” he addresses Trump’s two impeachments by the US House of Representatives, including his message to his supporters to “fight like hell” before they stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
“The events of January 6 and the subsequent impeachment trial were among the most contentious moments of Donald’s presidency, sparking debates about accountability, free speech, and the future of American democracy,” it reads.
The book is published by EverNest Press, whose only online presence Reuters could find was on Amazon, with no contact information available. EverNest Press is also listed as an author. Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Cooper also proposed that the welcome package include “The 1776 Report,” released in January 2021 as Trump ended his first term. The report, the product of a presidential commission convened by Trump, criticizes policies that promote diversity.
The HHS official also recommended including a report on religious freedom by the Family Research Council, a conservative group. That report highlights the legal battles of American business owners who refused to serve same-sex couples, including a Colorado baker who won a case before the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018.
(Reporting by Ted Hesson; Additional reporting by Kristina Cooke in San Francisco; Editing by David Gregorio)