In the Trump era, has the word 'racist' lost its meaning?

Code Switch

NPR

Society & Culture

4.6 • 14.5K Ratings

🗓️ 10 December 2025

⏱️ 32 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Over the past few weeks, President Trump has amplified derogatory and stereotypical comments about people from Afghanistan. He's derided Somalians as a whole, and specifically targeted Congresswoman Ilhan Omar. And he's said he will end immigration from "Third World countries." So in a political climate where rhetoric like this has become normalized, is there still use to calling any particular phrase or policy racist?

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