Trump questions Harris' race, clashes with journalists

What happened

Former President Donald Trump on Wednesday sat down for a raucous and frequently hostile town hall interview with Fox News' Harris Faulkner, Semafor's Kadia Goba and ABC's Rachel Scott during this year's National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) convention.

Who said what

Kamala Harris "happened to turn Black," Trump said, after being asked whether the vice president was a "DEI hire." "She was Indian all the way, and all of a sudden she made a turn and became a Black woman." The Republican presidential nominee also complained about his "very rude introduction" at the event and insisted he would "absolutely" pardon Jan. 6 rioters who had assaulted police officers during the Capitol insurrection. 

Trump's presence at the conference "sparked widespread backlash" from some attendees, USA Today said. His interview was "met with some boos, groans and heckling." 

The former president was "clearly irritated by the tough questioning by some of the journalists," The New York Times said. The interview was billed as an "hourlong question-and-answer session," but began an hour late and ended "after less than 45 minutes," CNBC said. One of the panelists suggested that the Trump campaign was "calling time on the event."

What next?

Footage of Trump's defense of the Jan. 6 rioters is something we will likely see in "future advertising" against his campaign, The Times said. The NABJ is reportedly working to schedule a session with Vice President Harris sometime in the coming month. 

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up