The National Association of Black Journalists kicked off its annual convention in Chicago with a surprise guest – former president Donald Trump.

On Wednesday, July 31, Trump took part in a highly inflammatory Q&A at the National Association of Black Journalists Convention in Chicago, IL.

The former president made multiple false and offensive statements, most notably claiming that Vice President Kamala Harris “suddenly turned Black” amid the 2024 presidential election.

ABC News Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott, Fox News anchor Harris Faulkner and Semafor political reporter Kadia Goba moderated the event.

The conversation quickly went sideways as Trump berated ABC News’ Scott for questioning his inflammatory rhetoric toward people of color.

Trump’s Response to Scott

“I want to start by addressing the elephant in the room, sir. A lot of people did not think it was appropriate for you to be here today,” said Scott.

“You have pushed false claims about some of your rivals, from Nikki Haley to former President Barack Obama, saying that they were not born in the United States, which is not true. You have told four congressmen, women of color, who were American citizens, to go back to where they came from. You have used words like ‘animal’ and ‘rabbit’ to describe Black district attorneys. You’ve attacked Black journalists, calling them a ‘loser,’ saying the questions that they ask are, ‘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 responded to the pointed question with an attack on Scott. “I don’t think I’ve ever been asked a question in such a horrible manner, a first question. You don’t even say hello. Who are you? I think it’s disgraceful. I came here in good spirits,” Trump said.

Trump continued “Are you with ABC? Because I think they’re a fake news network. A terrible network.”

The interaction between Scott and Trump set the tone for a contentious conversation. In response to a follow up question by Scott, the former president said, “I have answered the question. I have been the best president for the Black population since Abraham Lincoln.”

Kamala Harris’ Race

The former president went on to relay multiple falsehoods during the conversation. When asked if he believed that Vice President Kamala Harris is a “DEI hire,” Trump falsely questioned Harris’ heritage.

“She was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting Indian heritage. 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. So I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black?” Trump said.

The NABJ used Politifact to fact check Trump’s comments in real-time. The non-profit disproved multiple false claims asserted by Trump, including that Democrats support infanticide and undocumented immigrants are stealing “Black jobs.”

Trump consistently disseminated misinformation in response to direct questions.

When ABC News’ Scott asked Trump if he would pardon the rioters who instigated the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, he dodged the question.

The former president falsely claimed that police officers ushered rioters into the building, and pivoted to scold protestors of the war in Gaza for vandalizing national monuments.

Scott repeated the question, “My question is on those rioters who assaulted those officers — would you pardon those people?”

“Absolutely, I would, if they’re innocent, I would pardon them,” Trump said.

Trump also repeatedly and falsely claimed that immigrants “are coming in from mental institutions, from prisons, from jails.”

Sonya Massey

When asked about the death of Sonya Massey, an unarmed 36-year-old Black woman shot by an Illinois sheriff’s deputy earlier this month, Trump said he was unfamiliar with the case.

Reporter Kadia Goba asked Trump if the officer who shot and killed Massey deserved immunity, which he claimed he would give officers so they can “do their jobs.”

“Why should an officer like that have immunity, in your opinion?” Goba asked.

“I don’t know the exact case but I saw something. And it didn’t look good to me,” Trump said. “You are talking with the water right?”

When asked again, Trump was unable to provide a clear answer about how immunity would be decided for police officers.

Backlash

Trump’s appearance at the NABJ convention was controversial from the start. The NABJ announced the sitdown conversation just two days prior to the convention in a statement, sharing that the Q&A would “concentrate on the most pressing issues facing the Black community.”

The announcement quickly drew backlash from NABJ members. Karen Attiah, the co-chair of the convention, resigned shortly after the NABJ announced Trump’s appearance.

Multiple NABJ members have followed suit, expressing disappointment and anger with the NABJ’s decision to host Trump.

Businessman and retired basketball player Earl “Butch” Graves Jr. openly denounced the decision and withdrew from participating in a panel at the convention.

“This is the single dumbest and worst decision in NABJ history,” Carron J. Phillips, a 2019 and 2020 NABJ award winner, wrote Tuesday on X. “Whoever made this call is an idiot. And I’ll say it to their face this week.”

Trump’s remarks about Harris’ race drew condemnation from across the political spectrum, including from White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who called them “repulsive.”

In a live interview following the conversation, CNN Republican strategist Shermichael Singleton shared his shock at Trump’s comments.

“Overall I just don’t see what the net gain here was, and I think a lot of Black people will watch this appearance and then they will point to the former president and they will point to the Republican Party and say this is exactly why we will never give you all the majority of our support,” said Singleton.

Prior to the event, NABJ President Ken Lemon released a statement defending the decision to host Trump at the convention.

“I consulted with a group of our Founders and past NABJ Presidents Tuesday on-site in Chicago, and as a group, we affirmed that the invitation to former President Trump was in line with NABJ’s usual practices since 1976,” wrote Lemon.

Lemon also revealed that the NABJ had been in talks with both the Democratic and Republican parties since January of this year.

“NABJ was in contact with Vice President Kamala Harris’ team for an in- person panel before President Joe Biden dropped out of the race in July,” read the statement.

In a statement on X, the NABJ said it was in conversation with the Harris campaign to have her appear either virtually or in person for a conversation in September.