Chicago, United States
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump slammed a reporter for asking him why Black voters should trust him during an appearance at the National Association of Black Journalists' annual convention in Chicago on Wednesday (July 31).
ABC's Rachel Scott questioned the former president about why Black voters should trust him despite his past comments where he called Black journalists 'losers' and 'stupid'.
"You have used words like 'animal' and 'rabid' to describe Black district attorneys. You've attacked Black journalists—calling them losers, saying the questions that they asked are quote, 'stupid' and 'racist'. "Why should Black voters trust you after you have used language like that?" Scott asked.
She called it the "elephant in the room" after expressing gratitude to Trump for attending and pointing out that many people believed he shouldn't be at the convention.
"First of all, I don't think I have ever been asked a question in such a horrible manner, the first question. You don't even say Hello! how are you? Are you with ABC? Because I think they are a fake news network and a terrible network. And I think it's disgraceful that I came here in good spirits. I love the Black population of this country. I have done so much for the Black population of the country, including employment...," Trump responded.
Watch | Trump spars with reporters at Black journalists conference
"I have been the best president for the Black population since Abraham Lincoln,” Trump said.
"A lot of the journalists in this room are Black," he also said. "I will tell you that, coming from the border, there are millions and millions of people that happen to be taking Black jobs," he added.
"What exactly is a Black job, sir?” Scott asked.
"A Black job is anybody that has a job. They're taking the employment away from Black people," Trump replied.
Also read: JD Vance courts controversy after old clip slating Simone Biles for quitting Olympic surfaces
“I’ve been waiting for a half hour. The speaker equipment at the NABJ is not working properly. Don’t blame me for being late!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Former President Donald Trump claimed that his 2024 Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, "happened to turn Black" a few years ago, suggesting that "all of a sudden, she made a turn" in her identity.
Trump's comments came in response to an interviewer asking if he agreed with Republicans who labelled Harris as a "DEI hire."
He said that Harris has always promoted her Indian heritage. She was only known for her Indian heritage. He said that it wasn't known to him that she was Black until a few years ago, when she happened to turn Black, and now she wants to be known as Black.
"So, is she Indian or is she Black?" Trump asked.
Trump said that either one is respected by him, but not by Harris, because she was Indian all the way, and then suddenly, a turn was made and she became a Black person.
The NABJ's decision to interview Trump has caused anger among its members. While some believe Trump shouldn't be given a platform, others argue that voters need to see him as he truly is so that they can make an informed decision about supporting him. Considering Trump's efforts to win over Black voters, it is understandable why some see this interview as necessary.
(With inputs from agencies)