The Harris campaign lashed out at former President Trump before he appeared on stage this afternoon at a National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) event, accusing the former president of "demeaning" the organization's members in the past.
"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," reads a statement by Harris campaign Black Media Director Jasmine Harris, which provided several links to instances of confrontations Trump had with NABJ members during his time as president.
The statement came as Trump appeared at the NABJ convention in Chicago on Wednesday, where he sat down for an interview moderated by three journalists, including Fox News’ Harris Faulkner.
But the former president’s appearance at the event has caused controversy, with critics questioning the organization's decision to invite Trump.
The decision to invite Trump was defended by NABJ President Ken Lemon, who acknowledged "the concerns expressed by our members" but argued "it is important for us to provide our members with the opportunity to hear directly from candidates and hold them accountable."
"It has always been our policy to ensure that candidates know that an invitation is not an endorsement. We also agreed that while this race is much different – and contentious – so are the consequences," Lemon said in a statement.
9/11 TERRORIST FEARS TRUMP WILL BE ELECTED AND EXECUTE HIM, ASKS FOR FRENCH TRANSFER
Nevertheless, the Harris campaign argued that Trump would "lie about his record" and the "real harm he’s caused the Black community" during his appearance at the convention.
"He will lie about the skyrocketing Black unemployment and Black uninsured rates our communities suffered from when he was president," Harris said. "He’ll lie about his failed response to the pandemic that cost Black Americans our lives and our livelihoods. He’ll lie about skyrocketing crime under his leadership and make grand claims about putting checks in people’s pockets when we know his Project 2025 agenda would cost our families thousands."
During the event, Trump clashed with ABC News reporter Rachel Scott, complaining that the journalist opened the interview with a "nasty question" and calling her TV network "fake news."
"A lot of people did not think it was appropriate for you to be here today," Scott said. "You have told four congresswoman 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 attorneys. You've attacked Black journalists, calling them a 'loser,' saying the questions that they asked are ‘stupid and racist.’"
"I don't think I have ever been asked a question in such a horrible manner," Trump fired back. "I think it's disgraceful that I came here in a good spirit. I love the Black population of this country; I've done so much for the Black population of this country."
Meanwhile, the NABJ was not able to coordinate with Vice President Harris to have her appear at the convention, with Lemon saying in the statement that the organization had been trying to work out a way for her to appear since before she became the Democratic Party’s presumptive nominee.
"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," Lemon said. "We are in talks about virtual options in the future and are still working to reach an agreement."
Reached for comment by Fox News Digital, a Harris campaign spokesperson pointed to an NABJ statement that the vice president and organization were hoping to schedule a Q&A session in September.
