Former President Donald Trump made controversial remarks about Vice President Kamala Harris during his Wednesday appearance at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) convention.
Speaking to a packed audience, Trump claimed Harris “became a Black person” for political purposes, alleging that she only recently identified as Black after previously emphasizing her Indian heritage.
Trump’s comments came in response to an ABC News’ Rachel Scott question, who asked whether he agreed with some Republican lawmakers’ criticisms of Harris as a “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” hire. “I’ve known her for a long time, indirectly, not directly… and she was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting Indian heritage,” Trump said.
“I didn’t know she was Black until several 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 Black?”
Scott clarified that Harris has always identified as Black and attended a historically Black college. Trump responded, “I respect either one, but she doesn’t because she was Indian all the way. And then, all of a sudden, she made a turn and… she became a Black person.” Trump suggested that her change in identity warranted further scrutiny.
Vice President Harris’s mother was born in India, and her father is a Black man from Jamaica. In response to Trump’s remarks, Harris’ campaign communications director, Michael Tyler, criticized the former president for his divisive rhetoric.
“The hostility Donald Trump showed on stage today is the same hostility he has shown throughout his life, his term in office, and his campaign for president,” Tyler said. “Trump has already proven he cannot unite America, so he attempts to divide us.”
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also condemned Trump’s comments, calling them “insulting” and asserting that only Harris has the right to define her own identity. “How they identify, that is no one’s right. It is someone’s own decision,” Jean-Pierre stated. “Only she can speak to her experience. It is insulting for anybody, regardless of their position, to dictate someone else’s identity.”
Following the NABJ event, Trump took to Truth Social, where he characterized the questions he faced as “rude and nasty” but maintained that his appearance was a success, stating, “We CRUSHED IT!”
Harris, the first Indian-American to serve as U.S. Senator and later became the first Black woman on a major party’s presidential ticket, has been a prominent figure in American politics. Her record as California Attorney General and her stance on law enforcement reforms have been subject to scrutiny, particularly during the 2020 Democratic primary.
Born in 1964 in Oakland, California, to a Jamaican father and an Indian mother, Harris has frequently spoken about the significant influence of her mother on her life and career. Harris began her political career as San Francisco’s district attorney, where she implemented programs aimed at reducing drug offences and student truancy.
