Pastor Jamal Bryant Apologizes After Target Boycott Confusion – Says He “Made Assumptions” About Community Demands

Pastor Jamal Bryant Apologizes After Target Boycott Confusion – Says He “Made Assumptions” About Community Demands

Pastor Jamal Bryant is walking back the confusion surrounding the high-profile Target boycott, issuing a public apology after backlash erupted over comments suggesting the protest may have ended.

During the 100th episode of his podcast Let’s Be Clear, Bryant admitted he misread the moment and misunderstood how strongly many supporters felt about continuing the movement against Target.

“Today was supposed to be a hallmark celebration,” Bryant said on the show. “But given the most recent events that have taken place this week, we’re having to make a hard pivot.”

Bryant clarified that while he ended his personal “Target Fast,” he never intended to signal that the broader boycott had concluded. The pastor acknowledged the uproar from supporters who believed the protest should continue, telling listeners he had been “reading from a different sheet of music” and admitting, “I made assumptions that were not true.”

He also stressed that the boycott movement was never his alone, crediting Black women leaders — including activist Nina Turner, civil rights organizer Tamika Mallory, and attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong — with leading the charge against the retail giant.

Bryant further pushed back against online rumors claiming he or other organizers benefited financially from Target, insisting, “I am not an employee of Target. I have not been compensated by Target,” adding that neither his church nor his colleagues received “a dime.”