Former President Trump’s question and answer session at the National Association Of Black Journalists (NABJ) 2024 Conference in Chicago, Illinois on Wednesday was contentious and marred by technical difficulties and internal conflict.
The event’s disorder began days before, as NABJ24 Chair Tia Mitchell laid out in a Wednesday Twitter thread.
Mitchell said both Trump and President Biden were signed on to sit down for questions at the event before Biden bowed out of the race. But after the Democrats coronated Vice President Kamala Harris, her team indicated she would likely be unable to make the event “in person,” according to Mitchell.
2. When Harris’ team indicated she was likely not going to be able to come to NABJ in person, I had convos with her staff encouraging them to offer surrogates to see if NABJ would accept. I knew that NABJ was already trying to get Oprah or Obama. So I asked if Harris could help.
— Tia “Very Calm Sis” Mitchell (@TIAreports) July 31, 2024
NABJ President Ken Lemon confirmed Harris was unavailable in a Wednesday statement. An update claimed the organization was in talks with her to schedule a Q&A “either in person or virtually, at some point in September.”
However, the NABJ was initially opposed to allowing Harris to do any sort of virtual interview, according to reporting from The Grio’s White House correspondent April Ryan.
“Ken Lemon President of NABJ and Drew Berry Executive Director of the NABJ told Harris folks she ‘needed’ to be in Chicago in person for the convention. The NABJ shut down the conversation for a virtual town hall. Only after reports of what happened were posted did the NABJ leadership feverishly begin to ask the VP to now consider a virtual town hall,” Ryan tweeted Wednesday morning.
SCOOP: according to those (many) familiar with this situation, Tuesday am both Ken Lemon President of NABJ and Drew Berry Executive Director of the NABJ told Harris folks she “needed” to be in Chicago in person for the convention. The NABJ shut down the conversation for a virtual… https://t.co/xORdcfsE3q
— AprilDRyan (@AprilDRyan) July 31, 2024
Trump’s invitation sparked furious backlash from black people, including from members of the NABJ. NABJ24 co-chair Karen Attia announced she was stepping down from her role in a Tuesday tweet. While she didn’t claim Trump’s invitation was the sole reason why, she sent a flurry of tweets during the Q&A indicating her anger and disappointment.
“I am so angry right now. N.A.B.J., this was a colossal mistake,” she tweeted.
I am so angry right now. N.A.B.J., this was a colossal mistake.
— Karen Attiah (@KarenAttiah) July 31, 2024
“Room is boiling with anger and disappointment right now,” she later tweeted.
Room is boiling with anger and disappointment right now
— Karen Attiah (@KarenAttiah) July 31, 2024
April Ryan also bemoaned the NAJB for inviting the presidential candidate from one of the two major parties to sit for a moderated Q&A. “Trump came into our home, a Black Press advocacy convention, and insulted us in our face. What is worse he was invited to do this by NABJ leadership. Shame!” she tweeted.
Trump came into our home, a Black Press advocacy convention, and insulted us in our face. What is worse he was invited to do this by NABJ leadership. Shame!
— AprilDRyan (@AprilDRyan) July 31, 2024
The event started around an hour late, and many black journalists speculated that it was because Trump didn’t want to be fact-checked. (RELATED: ‘I Didn’t Know She Was Black’: Trump Takes Shot At Kamala Harris When Asked If She Was On The Ticket Due To Race)
“Theory is that Trump campaign did not agree to the last minute polifact-checking, and we have been kept waiting,” Attia tweeted.
Theory is that Trump campaign did not agree to the last minute polifact-checking, and we have been kept waiting #NABJ24
— Karen Attiah (@KarenAttiah) July 31, 2024
The Huffington Post’s Phillip Lewis made a similar report.
“I’m told that Trump is demanding that NABJ not do the live fact checking and that’s why the event hasn’t started yet. ‘We’re in a standoff,'” Lewis wrote.
I’m told that Trump is demanding that NABJ not do the live fact checking and that’s why the event hasn’t started yet
“We’re in a standoff”
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) July 31, 2024
Trump denied this claim, posting on social media that his delay was because of audio issues.
“I’ve been waiting for a half hour. The speaker equipment at the NABJ is not working properly. Don’t blame me for being late!” he wrote on Truth Social.
His claim appeared to ring true, as multiple times throughout the event both he and one of the event’s moderators, Fox News’ Harris Faulkner, claimed to have trouble hearing the audio.
ABC News’ Rachel Scott immediately pressed Trump on his “false claims” about his “rivals.” She also claimed he “attacked” black journalists.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been asked a question in such a horrible manner,” Trump responded. “You 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 continued.
“And I think it’s disgraceful,” he added.
The interview remained contentious for the remaining 30 minutes or so, with the crowd often jeering at Trump’s answers. At one point Trump even sparred with an audience member about whether or not Scott was being rude.
“If I came onto a stage like this and I got treated so rudely as this woman treated me, and I’m fine with it …”
“No she did not!” the audience member interjected.
‘No she did not!’: Trump spars with an audience member at the NABJ24 Conference over whether or not ABC’s Rachel Scott was being rude to him pic.twitter.com/4MdYnNT5KM
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) July 31, 2024
“She was very rude sir, very rude. That was a nasty … that wasn’t a question. She didn’t ask me a question. She gave a statement. That wasn’t a question,” Trump responded.
Scott’s first question to Trump came after a roughly 35 second exposition detailing his past comments about his political opponents, black journalists and an alleged dinner with a “white supremacist at your Mar-A-Lago resort.”
“I repeated your statement, sir, actually,” Scott retorted.
