The continued significance of Derrick Bell's "theory of racial realism" is exemplified by the exclusionary sociopolitical and institutional climate that Latinx students experienced throughout the Trump presidency. I utilize various tenets from CRT and LatCrit as analytical and methodological tools for conducting a qualitative study at four colleges and universities in Southern California that explores how the Trump presidency influenced Latinx students' "sense of belonging" on college campuses and within the broader U.S. The findings reveal how the Trump presidency influenced the lives of Latinx students in interpersonal and superstructural ways. However, I problematize the concept of "sense of belonging" within the context of racial realism by arguing that it is counterproductive to cultivate a sense of belonging within an endemically racist society and/or higher education institution. I provide pragmatic and theoretical implications for how higher education professionals can utilize racial realism as an intervention for research and praxis.