CHICAGO – Former President Donald Trump is planning to attend the National Association of Black Journalists’ annual convention in Chicago on Wednesday for a ‘special conversation.’
In a statement released Monday night, the Trump campaign said the Republican presidential nominee would participate in a question and answer session “that will concentrate on the most pressing issues facing the Black community.”
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On social media, several notable journalists participating in the convention, including former KPRC 2 reporter Jacque Reid and world-renowned speaker Roland Martin, shared their critique of the decision with the public.
American sports journalist Jemele Hill was quoted saying in-part, “This is a problem.”
This is a problem. I understand that concessions sometimes need to be made with big interviews, but if Trump is claiming to have gained support among Black men, it seems like he should be asked about that. And not that these women can’t, it generally doesn’t feel right not to… https://t.co/5ifLWmtw7Y
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) July 30, 2024
Trump’s campaign has spent months scheduling appearances in areas outside his traditional strongholds of support, including when he attended — and was roundly booed at — the Libertarian Party convention in Washington earlier this year.
In its announcement, the campaign trumpeted Trump’s policies that it argued benefited Black Americans during his first term.
President Joe Biden has seen his favorability rate among Black voters fall dramatically since he took office in 2021. But the race against Trump has been shaken up since the president stepped aside and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris — who would be the first Black woman and the first South Asian American to be elected president if she wins in November.