Trump claims ignorance on Harris's Black heritage, sparks outrage

- I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago, when she happened to turn Black - stated Donald Trump during his appearance at the #NABJ24 conference. He continued addressing Harris's heritage issues in his speech and titled himself "the best president for the Black population since Abraham Lincoln."

Trump, who this week participated in the conference #NABJ24 organised by the Association of Black Media Workers, became known for a series of controversial statements. His words caused astonishment and a mostly negative reception among observers, and the guest himself was almost an hour late to the event.

The former U.S. president was asked, among other things, about Kamala Harris as the Democratic candidate in the upcoming presidential election, to which he stated that Harris suddenly ""happened to turn Black."

- She was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting Indian heritage. 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 - stated Trump, causing jeers from the audience of about 1,000 people.

- So I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black? - he continued, adding that he respects both options, "but she obviously doesn’t, because she was Indian all the way, and then all of a sudden she made a turn and she went – she became a Black person."

As Reuters reminds, Harris, who has Indian and Jamaican heritage, has long identified as both Black and Asian.

This was also confirmed by journalist Rachel Scott, who was speaking with Trump, reminding him that Harris has always identified as Black and that she attended Howard University - a college traditionally associated with African Americans.

Earlier, the former U.S. president also attacked the journalist herself. When she asked him why Black voters should trust Trump as a future president, given his previous comments against them, he responded:

- Well, first of all, I don't think I've ever been asked a question so - in such a horrible manner, a first question - he stated and asked Scott if she was from the "fake news network" ABC News.

- I think it’s disgraceful that I came here in good spirit. I love the Black population of this country. I’ve done so much for the Black population of this country - he also said, titling himself "the best president for the Black population since Abraham Lincoln."