Trump clashes with journalists at NABJ convention in Chicago
The Brewer Group CEO Jack Brewer joined ‘Fox & Friends First’ to discuss Trump clashing with reporters at the NABJ convention and how Black voters prospered under Trump’s leadership.
Former President Trump’s appearance at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) has created internal division among its members and the group is now in talks to hold a Q&A with Vice President Harris.
Former Ohio University journalism professor Justice B. Hill, who has been a member of the NABJ for nearly 50 years, told The Hollywood Reporter that he felt a sense of bewilderment and betrayal by his group after the Trump panel.
“It’s a mess,” Hill told The Hollywood Reporter. “The whole thing came together in the past couple of days. And I hate things being not transparent. There’s controversy among members — one of the co-chairs of the Chicago convention resigned. You don’t surprise members this way. He has never spoken at our convention before. He was invited in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, and he refused to come. So, why is he coming now? He’s coming now because he sees some advantage.”
Hill described the panel as divisive, a sentiment echoed by other NABJ members on social media.
Former President Trump attended the NABJ convention on Wednesday, where he answered tough questions from prominent Black reporters. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
“Trump came into our home, a Black Press advocacy convention, and insulted us in our face. What is worse he was invited to do this by NABJ leadership,” White House correspondent April Ryan tweeted on Wednesday.
NAACP President Derrick Johnson also weighed in on the event, writing, “To walk into a room full of Black journalists and attack someone’s ‘Blackness’ is another level of disrespect. To anyone who needs a reminder: we can’t change the color of our skin, and we don’t want to.”
Hill further questioned why Trump attended the Chicago convention in his interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
“I understand he is a candidate for president, but Republicans have generally refused to attend our conventions or speak at them. And he has done that so, why now? Because he is trying to discredit Vice President Kamala Harris? And I don’t think that is fair to our membership,” he said.
Hill said it was egregious that none of the three individuals interviewing Trump were journalists from the Black Press or Black media outlets.
Former President Donald Trump questioned Vice President Kamala Harris’ racial identity during the NABJ event. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
“The Black Press cannot be marginalized, especially when it comes to issues related to this. This is right down their wheelhouse,” he said. “So, we can’t have no place at the table, particularly with the organization that’s about Blackness and the power of the press.”
Trump’s Q&A at the NABJ led to several contentious moments. When asked if he believed Harris is only on the ticket because she is a Black woman, he claimed that the presumptive Democratic nominee chose to “turn Black” a few years ago.
“She was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting Indian heritage,” Trump said. “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?”
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While Trump sparred with journalists at the event, Harris was notably absent, with the NABJ saying in a statement that it had difficulty coordinating her appearance with the vice president’s schedule.
“We were advised by her campaign at the time that her schedule could not accommodate this request. The last update we were provided (earlier this week) was that Harris would not be available in person or virtually during our Convention,” NABJ President Ken Lemon said in a statement. “We are in talks about virtual options in the future and are still working to reach an agreement.”
Fox News’ Michael Lee contributed to this report.