The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) made headlines when they announced that Former President Donald Trump had agreed to be interviewed at its 2024 convention in Chicago. I am going to go out on a limb and say that no one anywhere said, in their head or out loud when they first heard the news, that they couldn’t wait to hear Trump’s deep insight on Black people and the state of journalism. If you haven’t had a chance to watch Trump’s interview–you should. I did, and here are my takeaways.
Erbody But Me
Most candidates try to appear to be humble when coming before any constituency asking for their votes, but not Donald Trump. Uh uh. He walked onto the stage at the NABJ convention like, “f–k erbody but me.” And in true typical Trump fashion, he brought with him is signature air of arrogance, grandiosity and exaggerated sense of self-importance. Whereas any candidate should be grateful to have an audience of Black journalists, Trump made it really clear that he didn’t want to be there, shouldn’t have to be there, and that they were lucky he showed up at all.
When asked by ABC News correspondent Rachel Scott why Black voters should trust him after pointing out his past statements about Black leaders and rude remarks to members of Congress, district attorneys and journalists, Trump ignored the question and launched into one of his typical insult ridden tirades.
He complained that she didn’t first say hello and ask how he was doing before asking her a question. He complained about how she asked the question. He complained that the interview was 35 minutes late getting started. He complained that he was there in person and that Vice President Kamala Harris wasn’t there and was going to be allowed to appear on Zoom.
“Well, first of all, I don’t think I’ve ever been asked a question so – in such a horrible manner, first question,” Trump responded. “You don’t even say, ‘Hello. How are you?’”
He asked Scott if she was with ABC, saying the network was “a fake news network” and “a terrible network.”
His complaints about the Vice President Harris really reminded me of that one child you have to make sure gets exactly the same number of graham crackers as the other children because if not, you’re going to have a problem.
Reality check. Kamala Harris, as it stands, is already probably going to get the majority of the Black vote. So while it would have been nice to have her appear before NABJ as well, her campaign will survive missing it. It’s Donald Trump who’s desperately trying to woo the Black vote. He had far more at stake by skipping out. Instead of whining about Harris’s absence, he should have seized the opportunity to try (and I do mean try) to win over hearts and minds. But Trump’s penchant for grievance politics once again trumped any semblance of strategic thinking.
Going back to my earlier point of how candidate’s behave when trying to earn votes, Trump bounced out of the interview around 37 minutes in. Now granted, NABJ had technical issues that caused the interview to start late but if you are really trying to win over a constituency, wouldn’t you stay for the full hour once it started? I mean how important can the Black vote really be to him?
We love to talk and post about matching energy on social media.
In real life, Trump’s energy should have been matched right there on stage, in public, and with the same attitude he had. He should have been called out for his behavior as soon he opened his mouth to start complaining. Mothaf–cker you are on the main stage at NABJ. We are doing you a favor and not the other way around. Instead, our representatives on stage just sat there and talked around it.
He’s The Best (Not)
Sigh.
In the annals of presidential history, few claims are as brazenly outlandish as Donald Trump’s assertion that he was the best president for Black people since Abraham Lincoln. It’s a statement so rich in irony and so devoid of self-awareness that it almost feels like satire. Yet, here we are, having to dismantle this fantastical narrative spun by the former president.
Let’s begin with the reality that the only people who can credibly make this claim are Black people and you don’t see us falling over each other to extol the virtues of Donald Trump.
Then there’s the sheer audacity of comparing oneself to Abraham Lincoln, the president who issued the Emancipation Proclamation and led the nation through its bloodiest conflict to abolish slavery. Lincoln’s legacy is etched in stone, quite literally, on the National Mall. Trump’s, on the other hand, seems to be scrawled in dry-erase marker, subject to revision with each passing tweet. Declaring oneself the best president for Black Americans since Lincoln is delusional and desperate for validation.
Trump loves to tout the pre-pandemic low Black unemployment rates as a hallmark of his presidency. While it’s true that these rates hit historic lows, this trend began under President Barack Obama, whose administration navigated the country out of the Great Recession. Trump merely coasted on the momentum of economic recovery.
The First Step Act, a bipartisan criminal justice reform bill signed by Trump, is often cited as his crowning achievement for Black Americans. But let’s not forget, this legislation was a collective effort, driven by years of advocacy from numerous groups and individuals. Trump was more of a reluctant signer than a passionate champion of criminal justice reform. His administration’s overall stance on “law and order,” which often translated to aggressive policing and suppression of civil rights protests, paints a very different picture of his legacy. It’s a stance he has continued on in his current campaign for the presidency.
Trump’s relentless attacks on the Affordable Care Act threatened to strip millions of Black Americans of their health insurance. The ACA, despite its flaws, significantly reduced the uninsured rate among Black communities and provided critical access to healthcare. Trump’s attempts to dismantle it were a direct threat to the well-being of millions of Black Americans.
In claiming to be the best president for Black people since Abraham Lincoln, Donald Trump is engaging in a master class of self-aggrandizement. His presidency, marked by token reforms and rhetoric that often verged on the racially inflammatory, hardly qualifies as a golden era for Black Americans. To liken his impact to that of Lincoln’s is not just a stretch—it’s an insult to the intelligence of anyone with even a cursory understanding of American history. Trump’s legacy will be remembered not for its contributions to racial equality but for its audacious attempts at rewriting reality.
(He Does) Not Like Us
I don’t know about you, but every time I hear Donald Trump say “the Black population” or “Black people” I hear “you people.”
It’s this sort of code switching I imagine that Trump does when he’s around a bunch of Black people or is trying to talk to Black people.
Whenever he’s around Black people, out come the awkward phrases like “the Black population,” “the Blacks,” and “Black people.” It’s almost as if he’s trying to hide that what he really wants to say is “you people.” You can practically see the gears turning as he struggles to avoid his usual condescension, and it’s about as smooth as sandpaper.
Can't Truss It (And You Can't Trust Him)
Follow me here for a moment.
I am a candidate running for the presidency of the United States. Whether I admit it or not, I know that I am not the first (second or third) choice for many Black voters so I need to try and woo Black voters to my side. One way I do that is by making sure that I am briefed on the issues and concerns that Black voters have–especially before I go and speak before a group of Black journalists.
Donald Trump said Wednesday that he was not familiar with the details of the killing of Sonya Massey, the Black woman who died after being shot earlier this month by an Illinois sheriff’s deputy.
“I don’t know the exact case but I saw something, and it didn’t look, it didn’t look good to me,” was Trump’s initial response when asked about it.
But then, it appeared he did know something when he added, “You’re talking with the water right?”
Massey died in her home after being shot while holding a pot of water on July 6. Her death sparked national outrage as many called for justice and communities across the country held vigils this past weekend for the 36-year-old woman. Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean P. Grayson, who was responding to Massey’s call about a possible intruder, is charged with her murder. He has pleaded not guilty.
In every state across this country, most people, but Black people specifically, have been talking about the horrific killing of Sonya Massey. How a man who claims to have so much respect for Black people and to be the best president for Black people since Abraham Lincoln doesn’t know the details of one of the most devastating and high-profile tragedies affecting the Black community is beyond baffling–but right on brand for Trump.
Even more alarming was his answer to whether the police officer in Massey’s case would have immunity under Trump’s presidency.
Trump said that he would help a person who “made an innocent mistake.”
“If I felt or if a group of people would feel that somebody was being unfairly prosecuted because the person did a good job, maybe with a crime, or made a mistake, an innocent mistake…I would want to help that person,” Trump said.
The former president said that there are some cases where officers have to respond quickly while out in the field and that it could result in “very bad decisions.”
“Sometimes you have less than a second to make a life and death decision and sometimes very bad decisions are made,” Trump said. “They’re not made from an evil standpoint, but they’re made from the standpoint of ‘they made a mistake.'”
It wasn’t an emphatic no, so you should take that as a yes.
He Gets the Gas Face (Again)
“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,” Trump said speaking of Vice President Kamala Harris during the interview. “So I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black?”
This doesn’t need a lot of breaking down.
As a white man (a racist one at that), Trump doesn’t get a say on who is or isn’t Black or Black enough. Periodt.
Any conversations or arguments about Harris’ Blackness will be had among Black people. It’s not an open discussion for everyone. Sorry, but it isn’t. And yes I said it because we do talk about it and anyone who says we don’t is lying. We did with former President Barack Obama and we’re doing it with Harris. But here’s the thing, we can do that. We can talk about it. We are Black and only we can say who is Black and who isn’t.
Besides, we really shouldn’t be taking cues or advice on Blackness from a white man who counts among his “Black” supporters the likes of Candace Owens and Amber Rose, now should we?
Parting words–I’ll just say that NABJ’s interview with Trump was more entertaining than his debate with Biden.
For Trump’s part, he stayed on brand, delivering a performance replete with all his signature moves: deflecting tough questions, bragging about his supposed achievements, and throwing in a few random superlatives for good measure. When pressed on specifics, he reverted to his favorite pastime—blaming everyone else. It was classic Trump: more style than substance, more bluster than answers. As expected, he managed to make the conversation about himself, even when it was supposed to be about issues affecting Black Americans. It was a masterclass in staying on brand, if by “brand” you mean avoiding accountability and substituting showmanship for sincerity.
