Donald Trump‘s invitation to address an association of black journalists – along with the group’s shunning of Kamala Harris – has sparked outrage, resignations, and internecine fighting among its membership.
Trump is scheduled to take part of moderated discussion with the National Association of Black Journalists on Wednesday at their annual convention in Chicago.
Meanwhile, the group declined an offer from Harris to appear for a virtual conversation. The vice president could not appear in person due to logistical reasons, including her attendance at the funeral of the late Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee in Texas.
Adding fuel to the fire is a report the group tried to get a prominent Harris surrogate instead, such as Megan thee Stallion, Oprah Winfrey or Barack Obama.
Donald Trump’s scheduled appearance before a group of black journalists has caused outrage
But it’s the presence of Trump – who clashed with prominent black journalists when he was president – and the exclusion of Harris – who would be the first female black president if elected – that has members of the group publicly slamming the association and each other.
The bitter fight is playing out on social media for all to see.
Karen Attiah, a co-chair of this year’s NABJ convention, resigned after Trump’s appearance was announced.
‘To the journalists interviewing Trump, I wish them the best of luck,’ she wrote on X.
And April Ryan, a prominent White House reporter who was often the subject of Trump’s ire, slammed the group’s decision.
‘The reports of attacks on Black women White House correspondents by the then president of the United States are not myth or conjecture, but fact,’ she wrote on X.
‘To have a presumed orchestrated session with the former president is an affront to what this organization stands for and a slap in the face to the Black women journalists (NABJ journalists of the year) who had to protect themselves from the wrath of this Republican presidential nominee who is promoting an authoritarian agenda that plans to destroy this nation and her democracy with his Project 2025.’
‘I object to this NABJ session with Donald Trump in Chicago.’
The National Association of Black Journalists declined an offer from Kamala Harris to appear virtually at their convention
After Harris could not appear in person the NABJ inquired about a surrogate such as Megan thee Stallion, who performed at Harris’ rally in Atlanta on Tuesday
The NABJ has made clear it’s not endorsing the former president but keeping in line with their tradition of having candidates appear before their members.
And the group has been outspoken about Trump in the past.
In 2018, NABJ condemned then-President Trump for repeatedly using words such as ‘stupid,’ ‘loser’ and ‘nasty’ to describe black women journalists including Ryan, Yamiche Alcindor of NBC News and Abby Phillip of CNN.
NABJ President Ken Lemon and convention co-chair Tia Mitchell of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution said the decision to invite Trump was to give top black journalists the chance to question the Republican nominee.
‘Some of yall need to take a step back and ask why you’re questioning why a group of JOURNALISTS wants to ask former and possibly future President Trump questions,’ Mitchell wrote on X. ‘Do you hear yourselves?’
But Ryan, who writes for The Grio, also charged the group of demanding Harris make an in-person appearance in Chicago – only to backtrack when called out publicly on their exclusion of the vice president.
She also revealed the group wanted a prominent Harris supporter in person if they couldn’t get the vice president.
‘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 wrote on X.
‘As of yesterday afternoon @Vp team moved on after being told ‘no’ by NABJ leadership. The NABJ leadership even asked for a VP surrogate replacement like Megan the stallion, Oprah or Barack Obama.’
Mitchell took to social media to push back against Ryan’s allegations, arguing the group did try to work with Harris’ team.
‘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,’ she wrote on X.
She said it was her idea to invite Megan Thee Stallion, who performed in Atlanta at a Harris rally on Tuesday. She said she got the idea after seeing Megan was already scheduled to be in Chicago.
‘I made it clear this was MY idea not an official NABJ offer,’ Mitchell wrote. ‘NABJ higher ups probably had no idea Megan was part of the convo until they read April’s tweet. I did not discuss my idea with anyone. I apologize to NABJ leadership for speaking out of turn.’
The National Association of Black Journalists was also interested in Oprah Winfrey (left) or Barack Obama (right) as a surrogate for Kamala Harris
April Ryan, a prominent black White House reporter who frequently clashed with then-President Trump, criticized the group’s decision to invite the former president
The National Association of Black Journalists has a history of inviting presidential candidates to its annual conference.
President Joe Biden was originally scheduled to attend before dropping out of the race.
Both Trump and Harris are courting black voters, a prominent voting bloc in this year’s election. Harris will speak to a prominent African American sorority in Houston on Wednesday evening.
Trump is scheduled to talk to the group at 1 pm ET.
ABC News reporter Rachel Scott, Fox News anchor Harris Faulkner, and Semafor reporter Kadia Goba will moderate his discussion.
But even that decision sparked controversy with some journalists charging Faulkner was ‘in the tank’ for Trump and too friendly with the former president.
The Trump campaign, in a statement Monday night announcing his NABJ appearance, claimed that he ‘accomplished more for Black Americans than any other president in recent history.’
A protest is expected in Chicago outside the venue where Trump is scheduled to speak.
