Trump questions Kamala Harris' racial identity at NABJ, says she 'happened to turn Black'

CHICAGO - Republican 2024 presidential nominee Donald Trump in a controversial and combative appearance at the National Association of Black Journalists Annual Convention took swipes on Wednesday at Vice President Kamala Harris's racial identity — a move that comes as excitement swells for the Democratic contender.

"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," the former president said of Harris, who is on track to face Trump as the Democratic presidential nominee. “Is she Indian or is she Black? Because she was Indian all the way and then all of a sudden she made a turn and she went she became a Black person.”

Trump sat for the 30-minute wide-ranging Q&A where he touched on a number of key issues important to the Black community such as Sonya Massey, the Black woman who was fatally shot in the face by an Illinois sheriff's deputy earlier this month, abortion access and why he chose Sen. JD Vance of Ohio as his running mate.

The former president's appearance at NABJ sparked widespread backlash from some of those attending the convention, expressing an array of concerns over Trump's comments about the Black community and attacks against the media. For Trump, his remarks came at a critical inflection point of his 2024 campaign as Democrats express increasing optimism about their chances of holding the White House in November with Harris atop the ticket while the Republican continues pressing to court key constituencies, including Black voters. Throughout Wednesday's conversation, Trump was met with some boos, groans and heckling.

Harris responded to Trump's NABJ interview Wednesday night during remarks in Houston. "It was the same old show ? the divisiveness and the disrespect," said Harris, who was addressing a historically Black sorority, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, during its 60th Biennial Boule.

“And let me just say: The American people deserve better. The American people deserve a leader who tells the truth, a leader who does not respond with hostility and anger when confronted with the facts. We deserve a leader who understands that our differences do not divide us," Harris said.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who was hosting a White House press briefing at the same time as Trump’s Q&A, called Trump’s comments about Harris “repulsive.”

"Wow," Jean-Pierre said when she was read Trump’s comments on Harris’ race. "What you just read out to me is repulsive. It's insulting. No one has the right to tell someone who they are, how they identify."

Trump accused Harris of being a “DEI” candidate, a talking point by many conservatives using the acronym for diversity, equity and inclusion to disqualify people of color or women who ascend to positions of power and influence.

Harris, who is Black and of South Asian descent, attended Howard University, a historically Black college. She is also the first female vice president in U.S. history and the first Black woman to hold the office, too.

Shortly after the panel ended, Trump on Truth Social doubled down on his attack against Harris' racial identity, sharing a video where she is cooking with actress Mindy Kaling, who is of South Asian decent. During the video, Harris and Kaling talk about their Indian culture. Harris in the video told Kaling that she looks like "the entire one half of my family."

Harris for President Communications Director Michael Tyler criticized Trump's comments as hostile and called on the former president to accept a debate against Harris.

“Trump lobbed personal attacks and insults at Black journalists the same way he did throughout his presidency – while he failed Black families and left the entire country digging out of the ditch he left us in," Tyler said in a statement. "Donald Trump has already proven he cannot unite America, so he attempts to divide us."

Trump talks about Sonya Massey, but doesn't say her name. To gasps, says: 'you're talking about the water, right?'

Trump was met with loud gasps from the room when he said he was unfamiliar with the details of the Massey shooting, which sparked national outrage, saying he "doesn't know the exact case but I saw something," when asked about the case.

“It didn't look good to me. It didn't look good to me,” Trump said. “You're talking with the water right?” Massey was shot by police while she was holding boiling water.

Trump has previously said that police should get immunity from prosecution if he won the 2024 presidential race. Semafor political reporter Kadia Goba asked whether the police officer in Massey’s case, Sangamon County Sheriff's Deputy Sean P. Grayson, who is charged with her murder, would have immunity. Trump sidestepped the question by talking about gun violence in Chicago.

When asked again by Goba, Trump said that he would help a person who “made an innocent mistake.”

“If I felt or if a group of people would feel that somebody was being unfairly prosecuted because the person did a good job, maybe with a crime, or made a mistake, an innocent mistake…I would want to help that person,” Trump said.

The former president also doubled down on comments he made accusing immigrants of stealing the jobs of Black Americans.

“I will tell you that coming from the border are millions and millions of people that happen to be taking Black jobs,” Trump said to gasps.

“What exactly is a ‘Black job,’ sir,” ABC News senior congressional correspondent Rachel Scott quickly followed up.

“A Black job is anybody that has a job,” Trump responded, with laughter from the audience, before continuing to use racist rhetoric against migrants coming to the United States.

Attacks on the media

Throughout the panel, Trump repeatedly attacked the press — and Scott in particular — for questions that were being asked.

Trump in the very first question asked to him by Scott slammed her for asking why Black voters should support the former president after his criticisms of the Black community.

“I don't think I've ever been asked a question in such a horrible manner,” Trump said to Scott. “Don't even say hello, how are you? Are you with ABC because I think they're a fake news network.”

Scott, FOX News anchor Harris Faulkner and Semafor political reporter Goba lead the Q&A with Trump.

PolitiFact, a fact checking website, also led fact checking Trump in real time for NABJ.

Hundreds packed into a ballroom at the Hilton Chicago, which holds up to 1,100 seated, according to a hotel employee. Dozens of reporters were outside of the hotel lining up to get into the event with the former president.

On Wednesday, NABJ announced that the organization was speaking with the Harris campaign to have her appear for a Q&A with the organization sometime in September.

Harris on Wednesday is scheduled to be in Houston, Texas to deliver remarks for a political event. On Thursday, she will deliver a eulogy for the late-Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee in Houston.

Trump throughout the presidential campaign has attempted to appeal to Black voters, a key voting bloc that overwhelmingly supports the Democratic Party. But the former president is still unpopular with many Black voters.

President Joe Biden, who dropped out of the 2024 presidential campaign earlier this month, saw a drop in enthusiasm from Black voters. But Harris, who is on the path to be the Democratic nominee, has reenergized Democratic voters, including Black voters, since entering the race.

Ahead of his appearance, Trump on Truth Social criticized Harris for not speaking at the convention. The Harris campaign in response to the former president’s conversation at the convention criticized his record and his treatment of the press.

NABJ President Ken Lemon said Wednesday that the organization had been in talks with both the Democratic and Republican parties since January, when Biden was still running to be the Democratic nominee. Biden had agreed to speak when he was still a candidate.

At the White House, Jean-Pierre said Tuesday that Biden wouldn't be speaking at the NABJ convention because he is “no longer a candidate.”

The administration understands it's important for Black Americans “to hear directly from this administration, and we have done that — and not just Black Americans but all Americans,” Jean-Pierre said. “That is certainly something that we will continue to do. And we take that very, very seriously.”

Contributing: Joey Garrison

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump criticizes Harris at NABJ event: 'I didn't know she was Black'