Is Steve Harvey a Republican and a supporter of disgraced former president Donald Trump?
People on both sides of the aisle are suggesting that he might be.
One damning, recently resurfaced video shows Harvey singing Trump’s praises. His defenders suggest that they were sarcastic. Others aren’t so convinced.
Harvey’s endorsement of an indicted former prez could alter his legacy forever. But did he actually support the man? Does he now?
Is Steve Harvey a Republican and a Trump supporter?
Before we delve into the answers, we have to talk about why people are asking this about Steve Harvey.
2024 is an election year. Despite the criminal charges against him and his defeat in the 2020 elections, Donald Trump is running again. (To be fair, the criminal charges may be a motivator — as Supreme Court Justices whom he appointed could end up deciding whether occupying the Oval Office makes him immune to certain prosecutions.)
Because of this, finding famous supporters of Trump is both elusive and important, depending on who you ask. Enter far-right influencers on social media, who have resurfaced a specific 2017 clip of Steve Harvey. Harvey’s career has made him a familiar face, and whether it’s true or not, a political endorsement from him could hypothetically sway voters.
In the “Ask Steve” clip from 2017, a woman in Steve Harvey’s audience asks him to help convince her husband to move to Sweden. She very memorably refers to the country as “the land of Ikea.”
She cited the appeal of Sweden — universal healthcare, free education, and a statistically long life expectancy. (She’s not wrong; Sweden also ranks very highly in terms of happiness)
As is Steve Harvey’s brand, his initial reaction was to make a silly face. He also cracked a joke about healthcare costs that one incurs from assembling Ikea furniture at home. Then, however, things took a dark turn.
Steve Harvey said some alarming things about Donald Trump
“Donald Trump is not gonna be that bad,” Steve Harvey said on camera in 2017. “Don’t run.”
He then claimed, perhaps in jest: “He’s gonna make Ikea bring they ass over here and start building them desks and stuff in America.”
Worst of all, Harvey then grew louder in volume and cited the campaign slogan: “‘Cause he’s gonna make America great again! Let’s go, Donald Trump.”
As we mentioned, some of Steve Harvey’s defenders have insisted that his words were dripping in sarcasm.
But, clearly, not everyone agrees with that.
From Twitter to Reddit, Steve Harvey’s critics and (former) fans have taken to replies to express their disappointment and disgust.
If Steve Harvey is a Trump Republican, is it really a surprise?
Social media users pointed out that Harvey, a man who was not always there for some of his own children, might not be such a surprising Trump supporter.
Steve Harvey has an estimated net worth in the nine digits. Even if he has less than that, he’s still a mega-millionaire and one of the 1%. Deregulation and financial loopholes from a Trump regime could potentially benefit him, personally.
However, we want to emphasize that — whether Harvey’s 2017 clip was sarcasm or not — he has never formally endorsed the disgraced former president.
In fact, after a controversial meeting with Trump that same year, Harvey insisted that he hoped that the sit-down would promote positive change. Seven years later, and it appears that his hopes were in vain.
It may be more accurate to say that Steve Harvey is guilty of bothsidesism, either out of his own ideology or because it’s easier for his career. When someone has enormous wealth and can remain untouched by the problems that impact most Americans, it can seem easier to say nothing than to “rock the boat.”
