In a candid discussion on politics and race, entertainer Nick Cannon declared his support for President Donald Trump while labeling the Democratic Party as the historical home of the Ku Klux Klan. The comments came during the Friday, March 27, episode of Cannon's podcast, Big Drive, where he hosted model and activist Amber Rose. Cannon, 45, told listeners, “People don’t know that the Democrats are the party of the KKK [Ku Klux Klan]. People don’t know that the Republicans are the party that freed the slaves.”
The episode, which featured Rose sharing her recent political evolution, highlighted a growing trend among some celebrities of aligning with Republican figures amid the 2024 election's aftermath. Rose, 42, described herself as a former “liberal” Democrat who switched parties in recent years and endorsed Trump in the presidential race. “Democrats don’t care about Black people,” Rose said during the conversation. “They don’t care about people of color and the Republicans do. That’s the misconception.”
Cannon, known for hosting Wild 'N Out and fathering multiple children with several partners, responded affirmatively, noting shared conservative leanings. “You and I have some conservative views. You’re just a little more outspoken,” he told Rose. The host later expressed his affinity for the president, stating, “I f*** with Trump,” while praising Trump's actions in office. Specifically, Cannon highlighted what he called the president's initiative to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf America,” though details on this proposal remain unconfirmed by official White House statements.
The historical context Cannon invoked traces back to the Civil War era, when President Abraham Lincoln's Republican Party championed the abolition of slavery through the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 and the 13th Amendment in 1865. According to historical records, the Democratic Party at the time included many Southern supporters of slavery and, post-war, was associated with the formation of the Ku Klux Klan in 1865 as a means to resist Reconstruction efforts and maintain white supremacy in the South.
Over time, party alignments shifted significantly. By the mid-20th century, several segregationist Democrats, known as “Dixiecrats,” began defecting to the Republican Party. A prominent example is Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, who ran as the Dixiecrat presidential candidate in 1948 opposing civil rights advancements and switched to the GOP in 1964, just before the Republican National Convention that year nominated Barry Goldwater, who opposed the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The Civil Rights Act, signed into law by Democratic President Lyndon B. Johnson on July 2, 1964, outlawed segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. This legislation marked a pivotal moment, with Johnson reportedly telling aides afterward that the Democratic Party had “delivered the South to the Republican Party for a long time to come.” W.E.B. Du Bois, the sociologist and civil rights pioneer who co-founded the NAACP in 1909, advocated for Black equality throughout his life and died on August 27, 1963, at age 95 in Ghana—mere months before the act's passage.
Rose's endorsement of Trump in 2024 came as she weighed the election's candidates. “We had two options and he was by far the better option,” she explained on the podcast. Reflecting on Trump's early term actions, Rose added, “As of now, I agree with a lot of the things he’s doing.” Cannon echoed her sentiment, interjecting, “[He’s] cleaning house. He’s doing what he said he was going to do.” The pair's exchange underscores a narrative among some Black and minority voters that Republican policies better address community needs, a view that contrasts with polling data from the 2024 election showing strong Democratic support in those demographics.
It remains unclear precisely when the Big Drive episode was recorded, as the March 27 air date follows Trump's January 20, 2025, inauguration. The timing places it amid ongoing national debates over race and politics, especially following controversies in Trump's administration. In February 2025, Trump, 79, drew widespread criticism for sharing an AI-generated video on social media that depicted former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama as apes during Black History Month. The post, which surfaced on February 14, was seen by many as racially insensitive and reminiscent of historical stereotypes used to dehumanize Black individuals.
Trump refused to apologize for the video, telling reporters aboard Air Force One on February 18 that he “didn’t make a mistake.” The White House subsequently attributed the share to a staffer who “erroneously” posted it and removed the content from official channels. Critics, including civil rights groups, condemned the incident as emblematic of a broader pattern of divisive rhetoric from the administration.
Former President Barack Obama, 64, addressed the scandal in an interview with podcast host Brian Tyler Cohen later that month. “This is a prime example of the clown show that’s happening in social media and on television,” Obama said. He continued, “[Many Americans] find this behavior deeply troubling … There doesn’t seem to be any shame about this among people who used to feel like you had to have some sort of decorum and a sense of propriety and respect for the office.” Obama's remarks highlighted concerns over the erosion of institutional norms under Trump's leadership.
Cannon and Rose's podcast discussion arrives as celebrities increasingly voice partisan views, bucking traditional Hollywood alignments. Rose, who rose to fame as a model and rapper in the 2000s, has been vocal about her political shift since 2020, when she first publicly supported Trump. Cannon, meanwhile, has navigated controversies of his own, including antisemitic remarks in 2020 that led to his temporary firing from ViacomCBS, though he later apologized and regained some professional footing.
The entertainers' praise for Trump aligns with a subset of celebrity endorsements that propelled his 2024 victory, including figures like Elon Musk and UFC president Dana White. Related coverage has noted Trump's eclectic mix of supporters, from musicians to athletes, as a strategy to broaden appeal beyond traditional GOP bases. However, such alliances have sparked backlash, with detractors arguing they overlook policy impacts on marginalized communities.
Broader implications of Cannon's statements ripple through discussions on historical party roles and modern identity politics. Historians emphasize that while the 19th-century Democratic Party harbored pro-slavery elements, today's parties bear little resemblance to their antebellum predecessors due to realignments over civil rights, economic policy, and social issues. Organizations like the NAACP have long critiqued oversimplifications of this history, urging focus on current platforms rather than century-old affiliations.
As Trump's administration progresses, episodes like Big Drive may signal shifting cultural conversations on race and partisanship. With midterm elections looming in 2026, the visibility of voices like Cannon and Rose could influence voter perceptions, particularly among younger demographics tuning into podcasts. For now, the White House has not commented on Cannon's endorsement or the Gulf renaming proposal, leaving questions about its status unanswered.
The episode also touched on lighter topics, including Cannon's reflections on past celebrity events, but the political segment dominated listener reactions online. Social media buzz focused on the KKK reference, with some users praising the “historical truth” and others decrying it as revisionist. As debates continue, Cannon's platform remains a space where entertainment intersects with activism, drawing both acclaim and controversy.