By U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump made false claims on Wednesday at the National Association of Black Journalists’ annual convention, suggesting that his Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, had downplayed her Black heritage. Addressing an audience of about 1,000 people, Trump said, “She was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting Indian heritage. I didn’t know she was Black until several years ago when she happened to turn Black, and now she wants to be known as Black.” This statement elicited a mix of jeers and boos from the crowd.
Kamala Harris, who has consistently identified as both Black and Asian due to her Indian and Jamaican heritage, responded to Trump’s comments while speaking to members of the historically Black sorority Sigma Gamma Rho in Houston. Harris remarked that Trump’s remarks were “yet another reminder” of the divisiveness and disrespect that characterized his presidency, adding, “The American people deserve better.”
Since announcing her White House campaign earlier this month, Harris has faced a wave of sexist and racist attacks online, with some far-right accounts questioning her racial identity. Republican Party leaders have urged lawmakers to focus on policy issues rather than personal attacks. However, Trump has continued his insults against Harris, stating at a rally, “I’m not gonna be nice!”
The tense interview at the National Association of Black Journalists convention in Chicago began with ABC News reporter Rachel Scott, one of three Black women moderators, listing several racist comments Trump had made and questioning why Black voters should support him. Trump dismissed the question as “horrible,” “hostile,” and a “disgrace,” and labeled ABC as a “fake” network. He then claimed, “I have been the best president for the Black population since Abraham Lincoln,” which was met with groans from the audience.
Trump reiterated his claim from a June presidential debate that migrants crossing the U.S. southern border would take away “Black jobs,” a term that drew criticism from Black leaders. When Scott asked him to define a “Black job,” Trump replied, “A Black job is anybody with a job.”
Trump also dodged a question about whether Harris was a “DEI hire,” a term some Republicans have used to suggest she was chosen based on race or gender rather than qualifications. He said, “I don’t know.”
When asked about granting police officers immunity following the death of Sonya Massey, a Black woman killed by a sheriff’s deputy in Illinois, Trump admitted he was unfamiliar with the case but added, “It didn’t look good to me.”
The interview, which began over an hour late due to audio issues, was scheduled for an hour but ended abruptly after about 35 minutes, with the campaign citing time constraints.
Later that day, at a rally in Pennsylvania, Trump did not revisit his comments about Harris’ racial identity. However, the arena’s screens displayed old news articles highlighting her Indian-American background before he took the stage. Trump blamed Harris for increased immigration during the Biden administration and accused her of wanting to ban fracking, showing a video from her 2019 presidential bid where she endorsed such a ban. Her campaign has since stated she would not ban fracking if elected president.
Republican strategist Whit Ayres criticized Trump’s questioning of Harris’ racial background as unwise, suggesting he focus on policy issues instead. The 2020 census revealed that 33.8 million Americans identified as multiracial, up from nine million in 2010.
Trump’s invitation to the event had already caused controversy, prompting a co-chair of the convention to resign in protest. During the interview, several of Trump’s false statements were met with murmurs and laughter from the crowd, with one attendee shouting, “Sir, have you no shame?” before being shushed by others.
Trump’s appearance is part of a broader strategy to court Black voters, including campaign events in cities with large Black populations, such as an upcoming rally in Atlanta. His campaign is encouraged by polls showing reduced support among Black men for President Joe Biden. Black voters, traditionally loyal to the Democratic Party, supported Biden 92%-8% over Trump in 2020, according to Pew Research. However, Biden’s decision to step down in favor of Harris has energized her candidacy among voters of color and younger voters. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll showed Harris leading Trump 43%-42%, within the poll’s margin of error.
