CHICAGO – Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump faced a tumultuous questioning by a panel of the National Association of Black Journalists on Wednesday, during which he falsely claimed that Vice President Kamala Harris “accidentally turned black” during her political career.
During the heated event, which lasted about 35 minutes, the former president barely answered questions, lied and exaggerated, attacked Harris, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, and criticized one of the black journalists who interviewed him, ABC News correspondent Rachel Scott.
“I find it shameful that I came here in good spirit,” Trump said. “I love the black people of this country.”
The discussion was also moderated by Kadia Goba, a political reporter at Semafor, and Harris Faulkner, a news anchor at Fox News.
Many NABJ members strongly opposed Trump’s visit, especially given his treatment of prominent black women Journalists, and the announcement of his appearance sparked sturdy reactions. Members also criticized the lack of transparency surrounding Trump’s invitation and the inclusion of a moderator from the conservative Fox channel.
Trump attacked ABC’s Scott, calling her questions “rude” and her media company a “fake news network.”
Scott asked Trump why black voters should trust him, especially after Trump made false claims that political rivals like former President Barack Obama were not born in the United States, had dinner with a white racist in his residence in Florida and sharply criticized black journalists.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been asked a question in such a horrible way,” Trump said.
Scott pressed Trump about Republican members of Congress who had referred to Harris – the first Black woman and woman of Asian American descent to serve as vice president – as a so-called DEI hire, asking whether that was acceptable language.
Trump did not answer the question and asked Scott to define DEI, which she said stands for diversity, equity and inclusion.
Trump then asked if Harris was black.
“I didn’t know she was black until she happened to become black a few years ago and now she wants to be known as black,” Trump said. “So I don’t know, is she Indian or is she black?”
Harris attended Howard University, a historically African-American college in Washington, D.C., and is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., a historically African-American fraternity. Her father is Jamaican and her tardy mother was an Indian immigrant.
Harris in Houston
Harris, who was endorsed by President Joe Biden after he dropped out of the re-election campaign, was also invited by NABJ to answer questions but her confirmation is pending, the organization said. She had traveled to Houston on Wednesday to attend events, including a campaign stop.
NABJ President Kenneth Lemon said the organization is working on a virtual meeting with Harris in September.
Regarding Trump’s participation in the panel, Jasmine Harris, Black Media Director for Harris’ campaign, who is not related to the vice president, said in a statement: “Let’s remember exactly who this man is.”
“Donald Trump not only has a history of demeaning NABJ members and award winners who remain pillars of the black press, he also has a history of attacking the media and working against the important role the press plays in our democracy,” she said.
Michael Tyler, communications director for the Harris campaign, said in a statement that Trump’s behavior during the interview was hostile.
“Trump personally attacked and insulted black journalists in the same way he has throughout his entire presidency – while he failed black families and the entire country had to dig itself out of the ditch he left us in,” Tyler said. “Donald Trump has already proven he can’t unite America, so he’s trying to divide us.”
When White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked at a press conference about Trump’s visit to the convention, she said: “This is a campaign appearance for him.”
The Trump campaign team used the invitation to argue that the former president increased support among black voters. Before Biden ended his campaign in mid-July, a majority of black voters (about 77%) were willing to vote for Biden, and about 18% of black voters said they planned to vote for Trump in the 2024 presidential election. According to a report by the Pew Research Center in May.
NABJ Fact Check
In an email to members on Wednesday morning, Lemon stressed that the organization’s invitation was not an endorsement and that Live fact check from PolitiFact during the meeting. Members present were not allowed to ask questions.
“We acknowledge our members’ concerns, but we believe it’s important to give them the opportunity to hear directly from candidates and hold them accountable,” Lemon said. “We also want to give our members the facts.”
Nichelle Smith, an independent investigative journalist from Virginia, said after the panel that it was clear where Trump stands in the black community.
“I thought he was terribly rude to Rachel Scott, and I commend her and the other woman on the panel for not speaking too lightly and asking difficult questions right at the beginning, because I doubt he has rarely been confronted with difficult questions from black women,” she said.
NABJ Tradition
Inviting a presidential candidate in an election year has been a NABJ tradition since 1976. Former presidents have participated in either a press conference or other question-and-answer formats, such as George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Obama. In 2016 Hillary Clinton attendedHowever, Trump, who was also invited, did not do so.
The announcement of Trump’s attendance tardy Monday sparked a storm of outrage among NABJ members. Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah resigned from her post as NABJ convention co-chair.
“While my decision was influenced by a number of factors, I was in no way involved or consulted in the decision to provide a platform for Trump in such a format,” said Attiah, who was named NABJ Journalist of the Year in 2019.
April Ryan, White House correspondent for TheGrio, a black-focused media outlet, and 2017 NABJ Journalist of the Year, objected to the meeting in a social media post.
“The reports of attacks by the then President of the United States on black female correspondents in the White House are not myths or conjectures, but facts,” she said.
During his first term, Trump often clashed with the White House press, but He was especially tough when it came to black women Journalists like Ryan, Abby Phillip of CNN and Yamiche Alcindor, a White House correspondent for PBS.
Ryan, who usually bears the brunt of these attacks, said the decision to hold a panel with Trump was “a slap in the face to black women journalists … who have had to protect themselves from the wrath of this Republican presidential candidate who is pursuing an authoritarian agenda that seeks to destroy the nation and its democracy with his Project 2025.”
Femi Redwood, editorial director of Epicenter NYC and chair of NABJ’s LGBTQ+ Task Force, wrote in A social media post said the panel was not informed of Trump’s invitation and objected “given the harm he has caused to black, queer and transgender people – including journalists and members of NABJ.”
“I am disappointed that a place where so many queer and trans members still feel vulnerable will now feel even more unsafe because Trump is invited and his most vicious supporters may come to the hotel to support him,” she said.
Some defenders
Some NABJ members defended the decision, including Leroy Chapman Jr., editor in chief of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
“We need to ‘normalize’ this – candidates for office have to stand in front of journalists and answer questions,” he said. in a social media post.
A handful of pro-Trump supporters were able to attend the event, including Chicago radio host P Rae Easley, who cheered as Trump took the stage.
In an interview with States Newsroom, she said that Trump has done a lot for the black community.
“You have to be a fool to continue to support the policies of the Biden administration,” she said.
Goba asked about Trump’s support for police immunity. She asked about Sonya Massey, an unarmed black woman who called 911 and was shot by a police officer.
“Why should someone like this official be granted immunity?” asked Goba.
Trump said he did not know the case well and said an official could make an “innocent mistake.”
“Sometimes very bad decisions are made. They are not made out of bad intent, but out of a belief that they have made a mistake,” Trump said.
Scott, who covers Congress, asked about the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and the police officers who were injured by the mob of Trump supporters. She asked Trump whether the Jan. 6 rioters who were convicted in court should be pardoned.
Trump did not answer the question and instead mentioned Minnesota, criticizing the protests there and nationwide that erupted after a video emerged showing a white police officer kneeling on the neck of the tardy black man George Floyd.
Officer Derek Chauvin was later convicted of murder.
Questions from JD Vance
Goba questioned Trump about his running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, and his demeaning comments toward single women, calling them “childless cat ladies.”
Trump never answered the question and went off topic by attacking Democrats and falsely claiming that they allow abortions after birth.
Scott also questioned Trump about Vance’s comments that people with children should be given more votes than people without children.
“One of the fundamental principles of American life is one person, one vote,” Scott said. “I just want to be clear here: Is that the position of your campaign?”
Trump said the campaign did not believe families should get more votes and defended Vance.
“He is very family-oriented,” Trump said.
Trump then turned to immigration and falsely claiming that non-citizens vote in federal electionswhich is already illegal and scarce.
Following the incident, Trump senior adviser Lynne Patton issued a statement criticizing the media for “unprofessional comments toward” the former president.
“Today’s biased and rude treatment by certain hostile media figures will have massive repercussions,” Patton said. “It will be their downfall in 2024.”
Andrea Shaw contributed to this report.
