Vice President Kamala Harris has responded to former President Donald Trump’s comments questioning her racial identity. Speaking at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) convention in Chicago, Trump stated, “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.” He further added, “Is she Indian or is she Black?”
Harris did not hesitate to address these remarks. Michael Tyler, Communications Director for Harris’ campaign, released a statement that same day. “The hostility Donald Trump showed on stage today is the same hostility he has shown throughout his life, throughout his term in office, and throughout his campaign for president,” Tyler said. The statement continued, “Trump lobbed personal attacks and insults at Black journalists the same way he did throughout his presidency – while he failed Black families and left the entire country digging out of the ditch he left us in.”
Harris Condemns Divisiveness
At an event for Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority in Houston, Harris emphasized the need for truthful leadership. “The American people deserve a leader who tells the truth, a leader who does not respond with hostility and anger when confronted with the facts,” Harris remarked. She continued, “We deserve a leader who understands that our differences do not divide us. They are an essential source of our strength.”
Harris, whose mother is Indian and father Jamaican, has always embraced her heritage. Rachel Scott, a moderator at the NABJ conference, quickly countered Trump’s claims by stating, “She’s always been Black. Harris is of South Asian and Caribbean descent, as her mother is Indian and her father, Jamaican.”
Trump’s comments seem to be part of his campaign strategy to define Harris. On Truth Social, Trump posted, “Crazy Kamala is saying she’s Indian, not Black. This is a big deal. Stone cold phony. She uses everybody, including her racial identity!” He further accused her of adopting a “new southern accent” during a recent speech in Atlanta.
The Harris campaign compared these assertions to Trump’s previous birther claims against President Barack Obama. “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,” Tyler stated. Harris, the first Black woman to serve as Vice President, remains focused on offering “a vision of opportunity and freedom for all Americans.”