Former US President Donald Trump has raised questions about whether his Democratic rival Kamala Harris is “Indian or Black” during a speech at a Black journalists’ convention.
On Wednesday, Trump spoke at the National Association of Black Journalists’ annual meeting and said he had “indirectly” known the US vice president for a long time.Trump stated that she has always been of Indian heritage and has consistently promoted it. He mentioned that he didn’t realize she identified as Black until a few years ago. Now, she wants to be recognized as Black. He expressed uncertainty about her identity, questioning whether she is Indian or Black, and added that he respects both identities but feels that she doesn’t.
Harris, 59, identifies as both Black and South Asian. She was born in Oakland, California, to an Indian-born mother and a Jamaican-born father, making her the first Black and the first Asian-American vice president in US history.
Since announcing her White House campaign after President Joe Biden dropped out, Harris has faced numerous sexist and racist attacks online.
Trump’s remarks were quickly condemned. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre criticized them, saying, “No one has the right to dictate how someone identifies.” Stacey Plaskett, a US House Representative from the Virgin Islands, described Trump’s speech as “Lies, Disrespectful, Lies, Ranting Lies, Race-baiting, Misinformation, Bigotry, Lies, Ignorance, Meandering Lies” on social media.
A spokesperson for Harris’s campaign stated that Trump’s comments show his ongoing hostility and divisive nature. “Donald Trump has shown time and again that he cannot bring America together, so he resorts to dividing us,” the statement said. “Today’s rant is just another example of the chaos and division that have characterized Trump’s MAGA rallies throughout his campaign.”
The controversy came a day after polls showed Harris closing the gap with Trump in the race for the White House. A Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll indicated Harris was leading in four battleground states, while Trump was ahead in two.
Harris commented on the shifting momentum during a rally in Georgia, where a crowd of about 10,000 people cheered her campaign slogan, “We are not going back.” Harris’s campaign has raised $200 million and enlisted 170,000 new volunteers since its launch.
On Wednesday, Harris also received the endorsement of the United Auto Workers (UAW) union. The union’s executive committee praised her, saying, “Her historic candidacy builds on the Biden-Harris administration’s proven record of supporting the UAW and delivering significant gains for the working class.
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