CHICAGO — Former President Donald Trump took the stage at the National Association for Black Journalists convention Wednesday in Chicago, attempting to court more minority voters in his continuous campaign to expand the GOP base.
His presence was met with pushback from locals and from within the NABJ. Left-wing protesters organized a march outside the downtown Hilton location, and the co-chair of the NABJ convention, Karen Attiah, stepped down from her role, arguing that Trump was being “platformed” by being interviewed at the event.
Trump’s campaign said the expected panel would focus on the “most pressing issues” for the black community and argued that the former president “accomplished more for black Americans than any other president in recent history by implementing America First policies on the economy, immigration, energy, law and order, and foreign policy.”
The panel moderators included ABC News senior congressional correspondent Rachel Scott, anchor of “The Faulkner Focus” on Fox News Harris Faulkner and Semafor politics reporter Kadia Goba.
Vice President Kamala Harris, 59, did not accept an invitation to speak at the convention, but her team is speaking to the NABJ about future options.
Her team issued an attack response to Trump speaking to black voters and stressed that Democratic leaders at the convention will make the case for the Biden-Harris administration.
“Ahead of Donald Trump’s conversation at NABJ today — let’s remember exactly who this man is. Not only does Donald Trump have a history of demeaning NABJ members and honorees who remain pillars of the Black press, he also has a history of attacking the media and working against the vital role the press play in our democracy,” Harris campaign black media director Jasmine Harris said in a statement.
“We know Donald Trump is going to lie about his record and the real harm he’s caused Black communities at NABJ — and he must be called out,” the statement added, saying Trump will lie about unemployment rates, “his failed response to the pandemic” and “skyrocketing crime.”
