Just before former President Donald Trump took the stage at the annual convention of the National Association of Black Journalists in Chicago, an announcer asked the audience for “professionalism.”
Upbeat music booming from the sound system ushered Trump on stage. The audience was mostly silent, except for a few cheers.
Trump looked out at the crowd. The journalists and other attendees stayed mostly quiet, their mobile phones raised to record videos and take pictures. Trump greeted the moderators. They sat down to begin what immediately became a raucous conversation.
ABC News senior congressional correspondent Rachel Scott’s first question was the one many in the room wanted answered.
Here’s the full text of her question:
A lot of people did not think it was appropriate for you to be here today. You have pushed false claims about some of your rivals, from Nikki Haley to former President Barack Obama, saying that they were not born in the United States, which is not true. You have told four congresswomen of color who were American citizens to go back to where they came from. You have used words like animal and rabid to describe Black district attorneys. You’ve attacked Black journalists, calling them a loser, saying the questions that they ask are, quote, stupid and racist. You’ve had dinner with a white supremacist at your Mar-a-Lago resort. So my question, sir, now that you are asking Black supporters to vote for you: Why should Black voters trust you after you have used language like that?
Trump attacked Scott immediately, something he would do several more times during the 36-minute interview. “Well, first of all, I don’t think I’ve ever been asked a question so, in such a horrible manner. First question? Don’t even say hello? How are you? Are you with ABC? Because I think they’re a fake news network, a terrible network.”
He went on to boast about all that he’d done for Black Americans, specifically bragging about “saving” historically Black colleges, a claim that PolitiFact immediately pointed out needed more context.
There was a mixture of laughter and disgust in the room. It immediately felt like a skit from “Saturday Night Live” that didn’t play out as planned.
I’ve been a member of NABJ since 2000 and I’ve attended its annual conference about 20 times. I arrived in Chicago Wednesday morning with just enough time to pick up my badge and get in line for a seat in the room.
NABJ members had been divided over whether it was a good idea to welcome Trump to the conference since his appearance had been announced two days earlier. It’s a common practice that NABJ and other professional journalism conferences invite presidential candidates to their conventions. President Joe Biden participated in a virtual interview with NABJ in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hillary Clinton attended in 2016. Trump had declined both years.
I think it’s safe to say conference organizers were surprised when Trump said yes.
Waiting in line to get into the 1,100-seat ballroom, I saw friends, former colleagues and familiar faces. Many used the time to talk shop, talk about career aspirations and talk about the length of the line, which snaked down hallway after hallway inside the Hilton Chicago Hotel.
It took me an hour to reach the security checkpoint. Once there, all bags were searched. Everyone walked through security machines and was inspected with a wand before being cleared and pointed to the ballroom.
The energy in the 90 minutes before he took the stage was kinetic. At its peak, the room was full by my estimation, with standing room only. People mulled about, discussing what they expected from the event, speculating about what was taking so long, sharing posts from social media. There was word that Trump was in the building but there was a problem with the microphones. (Trump blamed Scott for faulty equipment, even though I’m pretty sure the mics were not her job.) Then there was a tweet that Trump was threatening to cancel because he was going to be fact-checked by my colleagues at PolitiFact as the event was happening.
Trump and the interviewers took the stage an hour and 15 minutes late. Finally, it was time to hear three Black journalists ask Trump questions about his stance on issues impacting Black Americans.
The moderators — Scott, Semafor political reporter Kadia Goba and Fox News anchor Harris Faulkner — were selected by NABJ. Each journalist brought a different brand of authority. They asked questions and often had to ask a second time as Trump diverted or decided he wanted to talk about something else. No journalist representing the Black press or Black media was on stage, something many in the crowd noted.
A view from the back of the room as former President Donald Trump spoke at the National Association of Black Journalists, NABJ, convention, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Chicago. (Kerwin Speight/Poynter)
While there’s plenty of debate about the moderators and their questions, in addition to the opening question, I found two other exchanges illuminating.
Goba raised an issue that’s been plaguing Black communities for decades —the killing of Black people at the hands of law enforcement. She asked, “Sonya Massey, someone from Illinois, an unarmed Black woman, was shot the other day in her home by a deputy sheriff. The deputy has since been charged with murder. You’ve said police would get immunity from prosecution if you win. Why should someone like that officer have immunity, in your opinion?”
Trump’s first response was to hedge. “Immunity. I don’t know the exact case, but I saw something, and it didn’t look, it didn’t look good to me. Are you talking with the water, right?” he said
His answer didn’t get any more clear as he went on: “Well, he might not. I mean, it depends, it depends on what happens,” he said. “I’m talking about people that are much different cases than that. We need people to protect ourselves.”
After a back and forth about the definition of diversity, equity and inclusion, Scott asked, “Do you believe that Kamala Harris is only on the ticket because she’s a Black woman?”
Trump’s response shocked the crowd. He said, “Now it is a little bit different. I have known her a long time, indirectly, not directly very much, and she was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting Indian heritage. I did not 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. Is she Indian or is she Black?”
The audience — predominantly Black — let out a collective gasp.
Scott interjected, “She always identified as Black. She went to an historically Black college.”
I go to NABJ almost every year to see old friends, acquire new knowledge and become a better journalist. This is the organization that supports and nurtures Black journalists so they can do the work that fuels democracy.
I went to Trump’s appearance because I wanted to see him answer tough questions that Black Americans care about. Now that it’s over, I do not anticipate that the controversy over whether NABJ should have invited Trump will end anytime soon. I’m OK with that.
A comment I overheard as the event concluded sums it up, “That went about as expected.”
Correction, July 31, 2024, 8:42 p.m.: President Joe Biden participated in a virtual interview in 2020. A previous version of this article mistakenly said he submitted a video.
