A Washington, D.C., grandmother whose grandson was slain in a 2017 shooting captured attention at the White House during a Black History Month celebration, defending President Donald Trump against accusations of racism and praising his approach to crime.
You won’t see this on CNN tonight.
— Steve Gruber (@stevegrubershow) February 19, 2026
Forlesia Cook took the stage in the East Room on Wednesday, Feb. 18, urging critics to leave Trump alone. “I love him. I don’t want to hear nothing you got to say about that racist stuff,” Cook said. She added, “Get off the man’s back. Let him do his job. He’s doing the right thing. Back off him. And grandma said it.”
The crowd responded with applause and cheers. Trump, standing nearby, patted her on the back and later hugged her. He joked about her potential in politics, saying, “Wow, that’s pretty good. When is she running for office? Forlesia, what are you running for office? Please, you have my endorsement.”
Cook also thanked Trump for deploying the National Guard to the nation’s capital, crediting it with helping curb violence. “One thing I like about him, he keeps it real, just like grandma,” she said. “I appreciate that because I can trust him.”
The event marked the annual Black History Month reception, held amid recent backlash after Trump faced criticism for a video appearing on his Truth Social account depicting former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as monkeys. The post, which included claims about the 2020 election, was later removed. Trump told reporters he did not see the racist elements and condemned them, but he declined to apologize.
During the gathering, Trump reflected on the recent death of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, calling him “a piece of work” but also “a good man,” a “real hero” and someone “special, with lots of personality, grit and street smarts.” He also announced that former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson would soon receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Cook’s grandson, Marty William McMillan Jr., was 22 when he was killed on April 23, 2017. He had arranged to meet a woman he connected with online, but he disappeared that day. His remains were discovered four months later along a Maryland highway, where he had been shot seven times and dumped. Authorities identified him in January 2018.
The killer, John Jabar McRae, was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to 16 years in prison in 2024. McRae, who was 42 at the time of the crime, was the boyfriend of the woman McMillan planned to meet.
Cook has turned her grief into advocacy. She has testified before Congress about her grandson’s death and spoken out against gun violence. “My grandson did not deserve to be treated that way,” she has said in public statements. “He wasn’t doing anything wrong.” She keeps his ashes in an urn in her living room and continues to mourn, saying she cries and hurts every day.
Videos of Cook’s speech quickly spread across social media platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram, amassing thousands of views within hours.
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