Donald Trump's Black Journalist Event Implodes as Kamala Harris Wins Voters

Donald Trump's interview at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) convention sparked a wave of backlash on Wednesday as polls show Vice President Kamala Harris gaining ground on the former president in swing states.

Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, sat down for the interview moderated by ABC News correspondent Rachel Scott, Fox News host Harris Faulkner, and Semafor reporter Kadia Goba. The event faced some criticism from Black journalists, who felt Trump should not have been invited to speak because of his past comments about race.

The interview got off to a contentious start following a question from Scott asking why Black voters should "trust" him given those past comments. Scott pointed to his comments about birtherism, questioning whether former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley and former President Barack Obama were qualified to serve as president, and comments about Black members of Congress.

Former President Donald Trump and ABC News reporter Rachel Scott appear at the National Association of Black Journalists annual convention in Chicago, Illinois, on July 31. Trump faced criticism over the interview. Former President Donald Trump and ABC News reporter Rachel Scott appear at the National Association of Black Journalists annual convention in Chicago, Illinois, on July 31. Trump faced criticism over the interview. KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP via Getty Images

"I don't think I've 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're a fake news network, a terrible network," he said.

He also criticized the NABJ for the event starting late, blaming the delay on technical issues: "I have too much respect to you to be late. They couldn't get their equipment working, or something was off."

He also raised eyebrows for his comments about race after Scott asked him about Republican attacks that Harris, the presumptive Democratic nominee, is a "DEI candidate." Critics say the attack is racially charged, arguing that her previous positions as attorney general, senator and vice president qualify her for the position.

Trump repeatedly asked her to define "DEI." When Scott followed up by asking if he believes Harris became the nominee only because of her race, Trump said he did not know she was Black for years.

"She was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting Indian heritage," he said. "I didn't know she was Black until a couple of years ago when she happened to turn Black, and now she wants to be known as Black."

Newsweek reached out to Trump's campaign for comment via email.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre slammed the remarks about Harris in a press conference.

"As a person of color, as a Black woman, who is in this position, that is standing before you at this podium, what he just said, what you just read out to me is repulsive," she said. "It's insulting, and no one has any right to tell someone who they are, how they identify. That is no one's right. That is someone's own decision.

"I'll add this. Only she can speak to her experience. Only she can speak to what it's like. She's the only person that can do that, and I think it's insulting for anybody, it doesn't matter if it's a former leader, a former president, it's insulting."

Many journalists and pundits also criticized Trump's performance.

"Trump has not answered directly a single question," Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

"This Trump performance will be in the Hall of Fame of awful. He is so unaware of how bad he is, in other words, dumb. Wow," wrote former Senator Claire McCaskill, a Missouri Democrat.

"Oh my God. I cannot believe this Trump interview with Black journalists is real. This may be one of the worst interviews he's ever done, and that's saying something," posted Jon Favreau, who worked as a speechwriter for Obama.

"ABC's Rachel Scott opens her interview with President Trump at the NABJ conference by calling him a racist for criticizing black politicians and journalists. Trump gives a masterful response while also mentioning how he showed up while Kamala Harris did not," conservative commentator Greg Price posted.

"Trump goes into hostile territory. The equivalent would be if Kamala went into the NRA. Trump did excellent. 10/10. Trump wins when he plays offense. Play to WIN!" wrote conservative pundit and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.

The interview comes as polls show Harris gaining ground against Trump. A new YouGov/The Economist poll released Wednesday showed Harris leading Trump by two points (46 percent to 44 percent). It was conducted from July 27 to 30 among 1,434 registered voters.

A Redfield & Wilton Strategies poll, conducted exclusively for Newsweek among 1,750 likely voters on July 29, found Harris with a 2-point lead (45 percent to 43 percent).

Some polls, however, still have Trump ahead. An ActiVote poll of 1,000 likely voters from July 24 to 29 found Trump up two points in a head-to-head matchup (51 percent to 49 percent).