Dave Chappelle Says Trump Supporters Aren’t His Enemies

Dave Chappelle made headlines when he endorsed Andrew Yang for president. The actor/comedian has long relayed his thoughts about politics through comedy and in interviews and most recently, he’s giving his opinion of Donald Trump supporters.

Speaking to reporters in Iowa this week, Chappelle explained why he endorsed Yang and also why he understands why people would vote for Trump.

“I don’t look at Trump supporters as my enemy at all,” he said. “I understand why people voted for Trump, I understand people are desperate. And I think that Andrew is right, you run against the reasons that Trump got elected. I got friends on both sides of the political aisle, I got fans on both sides of the political aisle.”

RELATED: Dave Chappelle Explains Why He Endorsed Andrew Yang For President

On why he decided to publicly endorse a candidate rather than keeping his politics private, Chappelle explains why he decided to let others know what he’s thinking.

“A lot of people say professionally it’s not wise to support any candidate, but this idea is so good, that I think it should exist,” he said. “And I think the fountainhead of many of the good ideas on the table this year are coming from a single source — Andrew Yang. And for some reason, no one’s paying attention. This guy is the origin of a platform that really does address where I think the country needs to go.”

Earlier this month, Dave Chappelle officially joined the “Yang Gang,” and, in response, the tech entrepreneur and Democratic presidential hopeful enthusiastically thanked him for the endorsement. 

“Thank you [Dave Chappelle] and welcome to the #yanggang,” Yang said in response to Chappelle’s support. “You are the best. Let’s do this for our kids.”

Since the endorsement, Chappelle has appeared at events in Iowa in support of Yang.

On Saturday Night Live, shortly after Donald Trump was elected in 2016, Chappelle famously told viewers to “give Trump a chance” during his monologue. Six months later, he admitted that the sentiment was a mistake. “I was the first guy on TV to say ‘Give Trump a chance,’” he said during a standup set at the Robin Hood Gala in New York. “I f****d up. Sorry.”