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Darrell C. Scott

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Pastor Darrell C. Scott
2016 Republican National Convention
OccupationsPastor
Radio station owner/host
Employer(s)New Spirit Revival Center, Cleveland Heights, Ohio
Political party
Republican[1]
SpouseBelinda Scott

Darrell C. Scott is an American pastor, radio station owner/host, and a former advisor to Donald Trump. Scott is a co-founder of the New Spirit Revival Center in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.[2][3][4][5] He co-founded, along with Michael D. Cohen, the National Diversity Coalition for Trump.

Early life

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Scott became a born again Christian in his 20s after a neighbor urged Scott and his wife to attend church.[4]

In 2004, St. Thomas Christian College in Jacksonville, Florida, an unaccredited religious institution,[6] awarded Scott an 'honorary doctorate'.

Career

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Scott is the founder and pastor of the New Spirit Revival Center in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, which owns radio station WCCD AM 1000 in Parma, Ohio, where Scott has a daily program.[7][8]

Role in the 2016 presidential election

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In 2011, Donald Trump met Scott in Trump Tower while considering a run for president.[9][2] After Trump announced his candidacy, Scott was one of the first African-American pastors to support Trump and a key figure in leading other African-American pastors to attend meetings at Trump Tower. In April 2016, Scott and Donald Trump's personal attorney and campaign spokesperson Michael D. Cohen co-founded the National Diversity Coalition for Trump.[10][11] The group's advisory board had leaders from American-Muslims for Trump, African-American Pastors for Trump, and Korean-Americans for Trump.[12][13] Scott introduced Trump at a rally at the I-X Center before the 2016 Ohio Republican presidential primary and later hosted Trump at his church, with the event aired on Hannity.[5] In July 2016, on the third day of the 2016 Republican National Convention, Scott was a keynote speaker in support of Donald Trump's nomination; Scott argued in his speech that the "Democrat Party has failed us".[14]

Post-2016 election

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After the 2016 United States presidential election, Scott gave an interview to National Public Radio and described the Democratic Party as "pimps" who "pimped out the inner city" like a "pimp stands next to a prostitute".[15]

On November 30, 2016, Trump selected Scott as part of his presidential transition team. Scott publicly thanked Trump on Twitter, which resulted in a backlash on social media. Scott was called an Uncle Tom and was accused of taking money in exchange for his support of Trump.[5]

In January 2017, CNN's Marc Lamont Hill characterized Scott and other members of Trump's diversity team as "mediocre Negroes" during a Don Lemon CNN Tonight segment.[16]

On February 1, 2017, Trump responded with enthusiasm during a White House Black History Month event to Scott's suggestion that Chicago gang leaders wanted to meet to help reduce gun violence.[17]

On April 18, 2017, Scott hosted a meeting at The St. Regis Washington, D.C. with six Chicago residents that hoped to start a community service called "Stronger Together" to rehabilitate housing and start new technical high schools teaching skills such as producing rap music.[18]

On August 1, 2018, Scott said during a White House gathering of faith leaders that he thought Trump would be "the most pro-Black president" in his lifetime.[19]

Post-2020 election

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During the 2020 United States presidential election, Scott falsely claimed that votes were stopped from being counted.[20] Five days after the 2020 election, Scott stated that fraud caused Trump's loss but also cited Trump's "unforced errors," including how Trump talked about the COVID-19 pandemic, saying, "I can't be upset if we shoot ourselves in the foot."[21]

In January and February 2024, Scott referred to conservative political commentator Charlie Kirk as a "racist" and a "white supremacist," criticizing his views on Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.[22][23]

Television appearances

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Scott has appeared as a commentator on networks Fox News,[24] MSNBC,[25] and CNN.[26]

Personal life

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Scott is married to Belinda Scott.[27]

References

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  1. ↑ @PastorDScott (January 27, 2021). "I might go after Rob Portmans open Senate seat, or Anthony "gutless" Gonzalez congressional seat" (Tweet). Retrieved January 27, 2021 – via Twitter.
  2. 1 2 "What makes a black Cleveland pastor back Donald Trump?". The Washington Post. July 17, 2016. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  3. ↑ "Donald Trump Courts Black Pastors, Claiming 'Great Love' in Meeting". The New York Times. November 20, 2015. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  4. 1 2 Murphy, Patricia (November 2, 2015). "What Do Black Preachers Want From Trump?". The Daily Beast. Retrieved March 12, 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 "Cleveland pastor Darrell Scott given role on Trump transition team". WKYC. November 30, 2016. Retrieved March 11, 2017.[permanent dead link]
  6. ↑ "Accreditation". St Thomas Christian University. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  7. ↑ "Why Pastor Darrell Scott Is Hoping Black Voters Give Trump a Chance". nationalreview.com. December 7, 2015. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  8. ↑ "Cleveland Heights pastor Darrell Scott connects Donald Trump with other black ministers". The Plain Dealer. November 30, 2015. Retrieved March 12, 2017.
  9. ↑ "Donald Trump's Prosperity Preachers". Time. February 10, 2016. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  10. ↑ "Trump 'Diversity Coalition' Holds Hectic First Meeting". NBC News. April 18, 2016. Retrieved March 12, 2017.
  11. ↑ Bernal, Rafael (18 August 2017). "Trump diversity council in spotlight after Charlottesville remarks".
  12. ↑ "Meet the People Trying to Prevent Minority Voters From Bailing on Trump". Mother Jones. August 5, 2016. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  13. ↑ "Pastor Darrell Scott Stumps for Trump in Sunday Services". clevescene.com. December 7, 2015. Retrieved March 12, 2017.
  14. ↑ "Pastor Darrell Scott addresses attendees on the 3rd night of the RNC". www.cleveland.com. July 20, 2016. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  15. ↑ "African-American Trump Supporter Celebrates Election Result". npr.org. November 16, 2016. Retrieved March 12, 2017.
  16. ↑ "CNN's Marc Lamont Hill: Blacks meeting with Trump are 'mediocre Negroes'". The Hill. January 17, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  17. ↑ "Cleveland-area pastor seeks gang meeting on Chicago violence, hopes Trump will attend". Chicago Tribune. February 1, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  18. ↑ "Ohio minister's summit on cutting Chicago 'body count' becomes charity start-up seminar (video)". cleveland.com. April 18, 2017. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
  19. ↑ "Trump praised as 'pro-black' at White House prison reform event". NBC News. Retrieved 2018-08-03.
  20. ↑ Ciliberto, Gina (2020-11-05). "Pastors Work to Stop Evangelicals' Spread of 'Dangerous' Misinformation". Sojourners. Archived from the original on 2020-11-05. Retrieved 2021-12-21.
  21. ↑ Colvin, Jill (November 8, 2020). "Trump election party draws scrutiny as Carson tests positive". AP NEWS. Associated Press. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  22. ↑ Wolf, J. D. (2024-01-16). ""Charlie Kirk is a White Supremacist" — Trump 2024 Senior Advisor Reacts to MLK Attack". MeidasTouch News. Retrieved 2025-09-11.
  23. ↑ "Conservative activist Charlie Kirk helped oust Ronna McDaniel at the RNC. Now the knives are out for him". NBC News. 2024-02-18. Retrieved 2025-09-11.
  24. ↑ "Pastor Darrell Scott on gangs working with Trump". Fox Business Network. February 2, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  25. ↑ "Pastor Scott defends Trump after rally violence". MSNBC. March 15, 2016. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  26. ↑ "Pastor: black apostolics don't believe in female presidents". CNN. September 11, 2016. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  27. ↑ "Transcript: President Trump in African American History Month Listening Session". CNN. February 1, 2017. Retrieved April 10, 2017.
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  • Profile on the New Spirit Revival Center website
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