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Former President Donald Trump sparred with reporters at the National Association Of Black Journalists Convention during a question and answer session covering hot-button issues ahead of the November election.
On Wednesday (July 31), Trump appeared at the annual NABJ conference in Chicago for a scheduled Q&A session that quickly turned hostile.
Trump first accused ABC News interviewer Rachel Scott of giving him a “very rude introduction” after he appeared at the conference an hour after his scheduled time.
"I think it's disgraceful that I came here in good spirit. I love the Black population of this country, I've done so much for the Black population of this country," Trump said.
Trump later claimed that he was “the best president for the Black population since Abraham Lincoln.”
At one point during the Q&A, Scott pressed Trump about his previous comment where he claimed people were illegally crossing the border and taking “Black jobs.”
“A lot of the journalists in this room are Black," Trump said. "I will tell you that, coming from the border, are millions and millions of people that happen to be taking Black jobs."
”What exactly is a Black job, sir?" Scott asked.
“A Black job is anybody that has a job," Trump responded. "They're taking the employment away from Black people."
The Republican nominee also falsely accused Vice President Kamala Harris, who he will likely face off against in the November election, of only promoting her Indian heritage.
Following Trump’s appearance at the NABJ conference, Harris’ team released a statement saying the former president "failed Black families and left the entire country digging out of the ditch he left us in."
“Today's tirade is simply a taste of the chaos and division that has been a hallmark of Trump's MAGA rallies this entire campaign. It's also exactly what the American people will see from across the debate stage as Vice President Harris offers a vision of opportunity and freedom for all Americans. All Donald Trump needs to do is stop playing games and actually show up to the debate on September 10," Harris' communications director Michael Tyler said.
Harris was also invited to attend the conference in person but she later offered to address NABJ members virtually after the event.
Watch Trump’s full Q&A session at the NABJ conference below.
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