In *The Grift: The Downward Spiral of Black Republicans from the Party of Lincoln to the Cult of Trump*, Clay Cane offers a sharp **examination** of the ideological decline of Black Republicans from their early association with the party of Abraham Lincoln to their alignment with Donald Trump. Cane meticulously explores the historical trajectory of Black Republicans, highlighting how the GOP once stood for emancipation and civil rights, attracting Black voters in the post-Civil War era. However, over the decades, the party's priorities shifted, especially with the emergence of the Southern Strategy and the embrace of conservative politics that often opposed racial progress.

Cane critiques the role of modern Black Republicans who, in his view, have abandoned the party’s original principles for personal or political gain. He investigates how figures within this group have endorsed Trump’s policies, which have been widely criticized for marginalizing minority communities, raising questions about their motivations and the trade-offs involved in their political affiliations.

This examination also sheds light on the broader question of political identity within the Black community, questioning why certain Black conservatives continue to support a party that, under Trump, became synonymous with racial division. Through interviews, historical analysis, and political discourse, Cane challenges the moral and ideological consistency of these Black Republicans, suggesting that their loyalty to Trumpism is a form of "grift"—a self-serving betrayal of the values once championed by the Republican Party of Lincoln.