Donald Trump spoke to the National Association of Black Journalists Wednesday, in a move rife with controversy. Trump exceeded expectations that he’d say something horrific again and again—particularly when asked whether or not he considered his likely Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, to be a “DEI hire.” The Republican nominee replied with a stream of jaw-dropping racism that should be immediately disqualifying.
Trump began by asking ABC’s Rachel Scott to define DEI—Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. When she did just that, Trump repeatedly insisted, “You have to define it.” Finally, Scott stopped allowing Trump to dodge the heart of the issue.
Scott: Do you believe Kamala Harris is only on the ticket because she is a Black woman?
Trump: Well, I can say now I think, maybe, it’s a little bit different. So, I’ve known her a long time indirectly, not directly, and she was always of Indian heritage. And she was only promoting Indian heritage. I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black.
But it got so much worse.
Trump: Now she wants to be known as Black. I don’t know. Is she Indian, or is she Black?
Scott: She has always identified herself as a Black woman and went to a historically Black college.
Trump: I respect either one, but she obviously doesn’t. Because she was Indian all the way, then all of a sudden she made a turn and she went—she became a Black person.
To get the full sneering, disrespectful effect, you have to watch the video.
Harris faces untold scrutiny for her diverse heritage, and not just from the right. Trump’s attacks on her at Wednesday’s event were particularly egregious, even for him.
The media has done a great job overlooking Trump’s statements and cherry-picking one reasonable thing he said out of a pile of excrement proves he’s a changed man. But they’re really going to have a hard time with this one.
———- MORE ———-
CHICAGO — Donald Trump on Wednesday berated a Black reporter who pressed him about past offensive comments and accused his opponent, Vice President Harris, of downplaying Black heritage she routinely highlights as a sit-down meant to showcase Trump’s outreach to voters of color immediately turned hostile.
ABC News’ Rachel Scott began the Q&A session at the National Association of Black Journalists convention in Chicago by noting — among other comments — Trump’s insults toward Black prosecutors, his repeated false claims that America’s first Black president was born in Africa and his comments that four congresswomen who are racial minorities should “go back” to the places they came from.
“Why should Black voters trust you after you have used language like that?” Scott said.
“Well first of all, I don’t think I’ve ever been asked a question in such a horrible manner,” Trump said, calling the interview “disgraceful” and criticizing a “rude introduction.” He alleged he was invited under a “false pretense” because he had expected his opponent to be there as well and criticized the organizers for starting late.
“I love the Black population of this country, I’ve done so much for the Black population of this country,” he said.
Asked if it was acceptable for some of his supporters to derisively call Harris — a Black, Indian American woman — a “DEI hire,” Trump pressed the moderators to define the term, which stands for diversity, equity and inclusion. The talk grew even more combative.
Trump claimed Harris used to only promote her Indian heritage — even though, as a moderator pointed out, she was part of a historically Black sorority and embraced her Black identity in many ways.
“I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black, and now she wants to be known as Black. So I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black?” Later he said “she was Indian all the way” but then “became a Black person.”
“I think somebody should look into that too,” he said, speaking over his questioner. He continued his frequent mispronunciations of Harris’s first name, which many have called disrespectful.
The remarkable scene came as Trump and Harris were both set to court Black voters on Wednesday. Democrats hope their new candidate can re-energize their most reliable constituency and prevent the GOP from making gains.
Republicans have been keen to improve their performance with Black voters and especially Black men, encouraged by polls that showed softening support for President Biden. But they could face a stiffer challenge now that Biden has bowed out of the 2024 race, paving the way for Harris to lead the Democratic ticket.
Trump’s itinerary on Wednesday reflects his continued hopes to chip away at Democrats’ traditional dominance with Black Americans. But it also underscored the resistance he is facing — largely due to his own public comments. His plans for a Q&A at the National Association of Black Journalists convention immediately drew backlash from some members and that one former White House correspondent called a “slap in the face.”
“False. False. False!” one attendee yelled out, as Trump falsely asserted that undocumented immigrants arriving to the U.S. are “taking votes away from all of the people in this room.”
“You just lie!” one audience member said.
UPDATE
Well here’s a headline you don’t see every day!
Trump called “grumpy, cruel, hard-of-hearing, race-baiting, a-hole” after hostile NABJ interview .
That’s an actual headline on NJ.com right now quoting Tim Miller (who is usually a great interview). Wow. Just wow! Holy cannoli. Maybe that’s how Trump planned it- I mean he is always playing 3d chess, right?