Trump blasts Kamala over border invasion, identity politics in epic appearance at black journalists conference in Chicago

At the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) convention in Chicago Wednesday, former President Donald Trump was asked if he believes Vice President Kamala Harris is on the Democratic ticket solely because she is a black woman. This question came in response to many Republicans referring to Harris as a “DEI hire.” Trump also criticized Harris' role as "border czar," saying she's "the worst" in the history of the world.

“Is that acceptable language to you and will you tell those Republicans and those reporters to stop it?” a journalist asked, referring to Harris being labeled a “DEI hire.”

Trump first asked the journalist to define DEI. After the journalist explained it stood for “diversity, equity, and inclusion,” but failed to provide a more in-depth definition, Trump continued his response by criticizing Harris for how she chose to identify herself. Trump explained that he has indirectly known Harris for some time and suggested she previously identified more with her Indian heritage rather than her black heritage.

"She was Indian all the way. And then all of a sudden she made a turn and she became black,” Trump stated. “I respect either one, but she obviously doesn’t.”

As the Democratic Party has positioned Harris as the new nominee for president, there has been significant discussion about her race. Both Harris and the Democratic Party have emphasized her status as a black and female candidate. However, conservatives have continually argued that Harris should not be elected based solely on her race and gender.

Conservatives have labeled Harris a “DEI hire,” a reference to policies that prioritize a person’s race and ethnicity over their qualification, directly in response to President Joe Biden’s previous statements that he selected Harris as his running mate specifically because she is a black woman.

Harris, born to a Jamaican American father and an Indian-American mother, often highlights her black ancestry more than her Indian heritage. For example, when Harris first ran for District Attorney in San Francisco, the press reported she would be the first Asian DA and made no mention of her being the first black DA, a news clipping uncovered by Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk revealed. Trump and other Republicans have implied that this is a strategic move to appeal to black voters.

During his appearance at the convention, Trump also took aim at Harris for a number of failed policy initiatives during the Biden administration. Trump specifically highlighted the migrant crisis that has continued on the southern border, calling Harris “the worst border czar” and saying she has done a “horrible job” regarding immigration. 

Illegal immigrants are "taking the employment away from black people. They're coming in and they're coming in, they're invading. It's an invasion of millions of people, probably 15, 16, 17 million people. I have a feeling it's much more than that. And everybody has been seeing what's happened. The first group of people, the black population is affected most by that. And Kamala is allowing it to happen. She's the border czar, she's the worst border czar in the history of the world," Trump said.

In response to Trump’s comments on Harris' identity, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called his remarks “insulting.”

“She is the Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris. We have to put some respect on her name, period,” Jean-Pierre stated.