Who Is Gina Loudon? Trump Ally Faces Backlash For 'Slavery' Comments

A CNN panel discussion held Wednesday became a talking point after President Donald Trump ally Gina Loudon said lack of diversity in the White House doesn’t matter because there “were no blacks in the cabinet when slavery ended.”

Loudon, who was participating in the discussion on diversity in the White House, started off by saying, “You look back at our history, we have a pretty amazing history of overcoming slavery, of expanding civil rights, of women’s rights, and a lot of those things happened under American presidents who didn’t have any minorities at all on their White Houses.”

“Thank God we do. I looked over the list of people I know there, about one-third are a minority or women. Those are great strides. Could they be better? Absolutely. I know, I talked to some friends in the White House tonight and they said they would love more diversity in the White House,” she added.

Fellow panellist Angela Rye was not impressed and hit back on her attempt to justify the lack of diversity by saying, “I think I got stuck at Gina saying that American presidents have done a great deal for people of color like ending slavery? I think I’m stuck in 1865 now.”

“What I am telling you is you can’t say––at least you shouldn’t feel comfortable saying it in 2018 that this White House not having diversity can be akin to presidents who didn’t have any black people on their staff, but for slavery, freeing slaves. Like, that’s not okay in 2018… You’re not going to be able to successfully name one black person who works in the West Wing because you know what, Omarosa didn’t even work in the West Wing. So, regardless of your points about slavery which are nonsense, I hope you RIP those talking points tonight, they should never be resurrected,” she added.

Loudon, who came under fire on social media for her comments on diversity, is a popular TV personality and a frequent analyst on networks including Fox News, Fox Business, CNN and MSNBC. She also hosts America Trends, a television show based on social media.

She was the official spokesperson for Trump’s presidential campaign in 2016.

According to IMBD, Loudon grew up in Missouri and while in school, she was part of the cheerleading and dancing groups. She is also a water and snow skier.

Loudon studied design, communications and psychology at William Woods University, Missouri, and went on to get her master’s degree from Louis University in the same state. She has a Ph.D in Industrial Psychology.

She was named among the “Top 50 Best Conservative Columnists" of 2016 and also "10 Hottest Women in New Media" in the same year, and has also authored several books including the 2014 bestselling book “What Women Really Want.”

Loudon met her husband, John W. Loudon, at William Woods University. He ran for State Representative shortly after they got married in 1990. The couple has five children and live in California.