Photo: Charles Rex Arbogast Associated Press Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump takes the stage at the National Association of Black Journalists convention Wednesday in Chicago.
Matt Brown – Associated Press and Michelle L. Price – Associated Press in Chicago and New York respectively
Published yesterday at 7:28 p.m.
- United States
Donald Trump falsely suggested that Kamala Harris had misled voters about her ethnicity in an interview Wednesday before the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) in Chicago.
The former Republican president claimed that Harris, the first Black and Asian American vice president, has only touted her Indian heritage in the past.
“I didn't know she was black until a few years ago when she became black and now she wants to be known for being black. So, I don't know, is she Indian or black?,” Trump asked at the NABJ annual convention.
Ms. Harris has a Jamaican father and an Indian mother, both of whom immigrated to the United States. She attended Howard University, one of the nation’s largest historically black colleges, where she also joined the historically black sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha. As a U.S. senator, Ms. Harris was a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, supporting her colleagues’ legislation to strengthen voting rights and reform the police.
Donald Trump has leveled a lot of criticism at Ms. Harris since she replaced President Joe Biden as the front-runner for the Democratic nomination last week. Throughout his political career, the former president has repeatedly questioned the racial backgrounds of his opponents.
White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre was asked about Mr. Trump’s remarks during her briefing with reporters on Wednesday and responded with disbelief, first letting out a “wow.”
200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000Ms. Jean-Pierre, who is also black, called the Republican’s remarks “disgusting,” saying, “It’s insulting and no one has the right to tell someone who they are and how they identify.”
Donald Trump rose to prominence in Republican politics by spreading false theories that President Barack Obama, the country’s first black president, was not born in the United States.
During this year’s Republican primary, he called former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, the daughter of Indian immigrants, a “Nimbra.”
Atmosphere tense
Tensions heated up during Mr. Trump’s appearance Wednesday at the annual gathering of black journalists. The former president got into a heated argument with ABC News interviewer Rachel Scott, accusing her of giving him a “very rude introduction.”
Ms. Scott's first question touched on Mr. Trump's past criticism of black people and black journalists, his attack on black prosecutors who brought cases against him, and the dinner he had at his club Florida with a white supremacist.
The ex-president continued his attacks against the ABC News network which, according to him, should not host the next presidential debate, despite his prior deal with Joe Biden.
The Republican also reiterated his false claim that illegal immigrants in the country are “taking black jobs.” When Ms. Scott pressed him on what constituted a “black job,” he responded by saying it was “any job,” sparking discontent in the room.
During the same exchange, Donald Trump claimed to be the “best president for black people since Abraham Lincoln,” the architect of the abolition of slavery, a statement that earned him a mix of boos and some applause.
Rachel Scott also asked Mr. Trump about his commitment to pardoning those convicted for their roles in the January 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol, and specifically whether he would pardon those who attacked police officers.
“Oh, absolutely, I would,” the former president replied before adding that “ if they are innocent, I will forgive them.”
The journalist, however, pointed out that the people he was referring to had been found guilty and therefore they cannot be innocent.
“Well, they were convicted by a very, very harsh system,” Mr. Trump retorted.
With Aaron Morrison in New York, Gary Fields in Chicago, and Will Weissert and Farnoush Amiri in Washington for The Associated Press