Former President Donald Trump questioned his rival’s race on Wednesday, saying Vice President Kamala Harris “happened to turn Black” after years of “only promoting Indian heritage.”
Trump’s claim that Harris had only promoted her South Asian heritage in the past is false. Harris, who is biracial, attended the historically Black Howard University and pledged at a historically Black sorority. As a senator, she was a member of the Congressional Black Caucus.
Speaking Wednesday night in Houston, Harris responded to Trump's comments by telling the crowd "the American people deserve better."
The Republican presidential nominee made the comments during a sit-down interview in Chicago with three prominent Black journalists at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) annual convention.
The more than 30-minute interview began with Rachel Scott of ABC News addressing the “elephant in the room.” Trump’s appearance had divided the conference, and a co-chair had quit after it was announced.
Scott challenged Trump with a litany of his past statements. "A lot of people did not think it was appropriate for you to be here today,” she said.
"You have used words like 'animal' and 'rabid' to describe Black district attorneys,” she continued. “You have attacked Black journalists, calling them 'a loser,' saying that the questions that they asked are quote 'stupid' and 'racist.' You've had dinner with a white supremacist at your Mar-a-Lago resort. So my question, sir, now that you are asking Black supporters to vote for you: Why should Black voters trust you after you have used language like that?"
Trump replied: “I don't think I've ever been asked a question in such a horrible manner.”
He went on to call Scott’s question “nasty” and “rude” while touting that he had been “the best president for the Black population since Abraham Lincoln."
Here are the key moments of the NABJ interview.
