If Gregory Cheadle had not cracked a joke, his life would be a lot less complicated today.

His troubles began when he attended a rally by then-presidential candidate Donald Trump in Redding, California, in June 20. Cheadle was a California congressional candidate at the time, and he stood out as a Black Republican.

As Cheadle watched from the VIP section of the overwhelmingly white crowd, Trump went into an extended riff about a Black supporter who had assaulted an anti-Trump protester at an Arizona rally. Trump wondered aloud where his supporter was when Cheadle decided to play along and shouted, "I'm here!"