Donald Trump sparred with ABC News reporter Rachel Scott over whether Vice President Kamala Harris was a “DEI hire” during a Black journalists conference.
The former president spoke at the National Association of Black Journalists annual convention in Chicago where he questioned if Harris was Black, adding “someone should look into that.” Trump said he was not aware Harris was Black until a few years ago because she only promoted her Indian heritage, but then claimed she “happened to turn black.”
Trump also went after Scott for her “very hostile, nasty tone” at the start of the panel discussion, which also included Semafor political reporter Kadia Goba and Fox News anchor Harris Faulkner.
TRUMP: Well, I can say I think it’s maybe a little bit different. So, I’ve known her for a long time. Indirectly. Not directly, very much. And she was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting Indian heritage. 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?
SCOTT: She has always identified as a Black woman —
TRUMP: I respect either one, but she obviously 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.
SCOTT: Just to be clear, sir —
TRUMP: I think somebody should look into that too.
