CNN senior political commentator Van Jones warned that TV personality and model Amber Rose’s address backing GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee was “probably the most dangerous speech for the Democratic coalition.”
After Rose’s appearance at the RNC Monday night, people had mixed reactions to the American model with a tattoo prominently placed on her forehead, along with the RNC’s decision to feature her as a speaker and the potential impact she might have on voters. However, Jones felt it was clear that the model had spoken well, and despite any reservations Republicans might have had about featuring a supporter with a conflicting background, the Republican Party achieved a “bunker buster” with her alone.
“That is a young woman of color,” noted Jones. “She is describing the experience a lot of people have, feeling that maybe if you’re around liberals you might get criticized too much, you might not be able to speak your mind, and she spoke to it really well, and she’s way more famous than any of us up here.”
He added, “To the extent that these guys are trying to bust up our coalition, that was a bunker buster right there.”
CNN anchor Anderson Cooper echoed Jones’s sentiments regarding the effectiveness of Rose’s speech. He responded to Jones, saying, “And it’s one of the things we’ve been talking about… She speaks through the camera to the audience at home.”
The 40-year-old model previously criticized Trump early in his presidency in The Cut magazine back in 2016: Hillary Clinton was only being supported by “non-hot” celebrities. She added, “He’s just such an idiot. He’s so weird. I really hope he’s not president.”
Because of this, she made waves with her support for Trump in May by sharing photos of herself in a bikini and MAGA hat on social media, as well as photos of her meeting with Trump and former First Lady Melania Trump.
It was also a contentious decision for many Republicans, as they aren’t typically associated with embracing feminism and sex-positivity activism, which have been central to the SlutWalk founder’s goals.
In 2015, she organized the SlutWalk in Los Angeles, a protest event aimed at raising awareness about gender inequality. “I go to battle with people,” she said while speaking to The New York Times in 2022. “I hate to see an injustice when it comes to women, or the LGBTQ community or sexual assault or rape victims.”
Although some may feel the SlutWalk doesn’t align with the conservative views of the Republican Party, Rose believes that her fight for women and marginalized groups is very much in line with her support for Trump.
“I realized Donald Trump and his supporters don’t care if you’re Black, white, gay or straight. It’s all love. And that’s when it hit me: These are my people. This is where I belong.”