ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JUNE 27: Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump participates in the CNN Presidential Debate at the CNN Studios on June 27, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. Former President Trump and U.S. President Joe Biden are facing off in the first presidential debate of the 2024 campaign. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Whew! Donald Trump‘s campaign wasted no time clearing the air amid allegations from an Atlanta barbershop owner. Ahead of last week’s first presidential debate, Donnie held a political event at Rocky’s Barbershop.
The June 26 event involved Trump answering questions from a panel at the shop. Owner Rocky Jones told local outlet 11 Alive that Trump’s campaign misled him about how his venue would be used. The event happened ahead of the viral first presidential debate on June 27.
Jones claimed to believe the event was a roundtable for Black small business owners, not a political rally. Since the event, the barbershop owner—who’s been in business for 17 years—claims he received “some calls, some backlash [and] some angry people.” Additionally, he emphasized to 11 Alive that his barbershop was not the place for politics.
“I have no involvement in politics. We don’t even talk politics in my barbershop. It’s all sports. The World Cup, soccer, baseball, basketball – politics is not what I do. I commend everybody to vote, but that’s your business. ‘You know, I don’t tell you what to do,’” Rocky Jones said.
The barbershop owner also explained that the event began with a text message and then a follow-up phone call while he was out of the country, per 11 Alive. He claimed that he believed it would be a small, “private” gathering. Then, politicians like Ben Carson pulled up, and Trump phoned in.
“I’m like, why is the ex-president calling somebody in my barbershop? This has nothing to do with small Black businesses,” Rocky said.
11 Alive first shared the barbershop owner’s claims on June 28. However, as it picked up traction on July 2, reps from Trump’s campaign called cap on the story.
His Black Media Director, Janiyah Thomas, released a statement and the contract Rocky Jones reportedly signed ahead of the event.
“We had an executed contract making it clear it was an agreement with the campaign, and the payments were made to the business owner,” the statement said.
According to the contract images, both parties consented to a political event taking place at the shop. The second paragraph states, “…Owner is willing to rent to DJTFP24 and DJTFP24 desires to rent from Owner, the Owner’s facilities and grounds, as approved by Owner, located at…for the purpose of DJTFP24 holding a political event on the terms and conditions set forth herein.”
Their agreement set the rental period for 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on June 26. Rocky Jones signed the paperwork on June 24, and the campaign treasurer, Bradley Crate, added his signature on June 26 at 11:45 a.m.
Swipe below to see the contract paperwork.
