Trump says Harris 'happened to turn black': He's just a racist, trying to kid himself that he's not

By Michaela Walters (with Emily Maitlis & Jon Sopel)

Donald Trump faced gasps and roars of laughter as he questioned Kamala Harris's racial identity, saying: "She happened to turn black and now she wants to be known as black."

In brief:

• Former President Donald Trump made controversial comments about Vice President Kamala Harris's racial identity at a National Association of Black Journalists convention, questioning whether she is Indian or black.
• Trump also claimed there was an "invasion" of immigrants taking "black jobs," leading to further backlash and accusations of racism from commentators.
• Emily and Jon discuss what impact this will have on the presidential race, with polls reportedly tightening in Kamala Harris's favour, though there's still a long time until the November election.

Former President Donald Trump caused outrage yesterday when he questioned the racial identity of Vice President Kamala Harris, claiming that she never used to identify as black.

“She was always of Indian heritage, 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," he said at the National Association of Black Journalists convention in Chicago on Wednesday.

"So I don't know - Is she Indian? Or is she black?"

“It doesn’t matter how many times you listen to it, it still sounds utterly bizarre,” Jon Sopel comments on The News Agents.

As pointed out by the interviewer, ABC News’ Rachel Scott, Kamala Harris has always identified as black.

She has both Indian and Jamaican-born parents. She also became a member of Congressional Black Caucus after entering the Senate in 2017, and attended Howard University, a historically black university.

The audience, largely filled with black journalists, erupted with laughter after hearing the "bizarre" response.

"You can hear what happened in the room, they are just laughing at him, it is the most powerful sound in the democrats arsenal, laughter," says Emily Maitlis.

At a rally she was attending in Houston, Kamala Harris responded by calling it "the same old show" and saying "the American people deserve better."

"Nobody's taking him that seriously anymore," Emily adds, "They're not even calling him a white supremacist. They're just laughing at him".

Trump repeatedly dodged questions during the 34 minute interview. When Scott listed past racism from Trump and asked why black voters should trust him, he responded: “I don’t think I’ve ever been asked a question in such a horrible manner.”

When she pushed him on it, he said: “I think it’s a very nasty question”.

“Every journalist in that room will have heard him not answer the question," Emily points out. "Insult the journalist, don't answer the question. So actually, if you walk away going, oh did he review any of that? Did he explain any of that? Did he apologise for any of that? Did he deny any of that? He didn't. He just criticised the woman asking the question".

“Donald Trump is very good at dishing it out. Not so good at taking it," Jon adds, referencing Trump's response. "It's suddenly you're the meanest, nastiest person I've ever met, because you dare to say that to me."

The crowd grew audibly aggravated with the GOP nominee, gasping as he claimed there was an “invasion” of immigrants who are taking “black jobs”.

“I will tell you that coming from the border, are millions and millions of people that happen to be taking Black jobs," Trump said.

When questioned on what constitutes as a ‘black job’, he said “a black job is anybody that has a job”.

"If you just think about it for a minute," Jon says, "what he's really saying is, if you're flipping burgers, if you're unskilled, uneducated, then illegal immigrants are coming after your black jobs.

"It is such an extraordinary racial stereotype of what people are in a room full of highly qualified professional black journalists."

Trump went on to compare himself to Abraham Lincoln, saying: “I have been the best president for the black population since Abraham Lincoln."

“He's comparing himself to Abraham Lincoln, as being the president that brought the most to black economy, the black economy, to black workers to black entrepreneurs," says Emily. "And actually, he's just a racist trying to kid himself that he's not."

So what does this mean for the US presidential race?

“All of this is playing into something else that is happening at the moment, which is that the polls are tightening”, Jon says, although admitting that there's a long way to go until the November election and things can change.

“But it looks like there is movement, and it's in her direction. And Trump is going to hate that.”

Listen to the latest episode of The News Agents on Global Player.

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