Former President Donald Trump's interview at the National Association of Black Journalists went off the rails almost immediately, with the former president calling the Black reporters' opening questions "horrible" and "nasty," questioning Vice President Kamala Harris' race, and wilting under questioning on a number of issues ranging from his running mate's comments about women to his stance on police immunity.
Even right-wing commentators and networks were at a loss to try to prop the former president up as the spectacle unfolded — with Fox News struggling to find its footing in real time.
"Really interesting, uh, I'm sure a lot of people stopped to watch that," said anchor Sandra Smith to co-host John Roberts. "Our own Harris Faulkner onstage getting in some questions to the former president."
Laura Loomer, a far-right activist and failed congressional candidate Trump previously considered for a campaign role, posted on X, "Donald Trump lifted the ban on blacks and Jews coming to country clubs in Palm Beach, Florida. He also has a Fulton County mug shot, his own sneaker line, and 3 baby mamas. Trump is blacker than @KamalaHarris will ever be!"
"Fact check: Rachel Scott did ask a Nasty Question," insisted Tim Graham, executive editor of the right-wing NewsBusters.
The hosts at Right Side Broadcasting Network, the pro-Trump channel, also went after the reporters at NABJ for making Trump look bad.
ALSO READ: Trump opens Black journalists conference by calling moderator 'horrible' and 'nasty'
"Well, that was quite interesting," said Matthew Alvarez. "Of course, President Trump somewhat going into the lion's den there, of course, Harris Faulkner being respectful to the president.
"That first journalist to President Trump's left, not so much," he said about ABC News' Rachel Scott.
"Unexpected in some ways, we thought this would be more of a roundtable discussion. Instead, there was some hostile words or questions and statements, and you could tell there was extreme, extreme bias there by that one journalist.
