Social Media debates the race of Vice President Kamala Harris

On Wednesday, former President Donald Trump made controversial and false statements about his 2024 Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, claiming she “suddenly turned Black” in recent years. Speaking at a National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) convention in Chicago, Trump questioned Harris’ racial identity, suggesting that she had shifted from identifying as Indian to Black.

In response to a question about whether he agreed with some Republicans' claims that Harris was a “DEI hire” (a term related to diversity, equity, and inclusion), Trump expressed confusion about her heritage. He stated, “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. So I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black?” Trump added, “I respect either one, 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.”


Later in Houston, Harris addressed Trump’s remarks, dismissing them as “the same old show” filled with “divisiveness and disrespect.” She emphasized that the American people deserve better.


Trump’s comments echoed past attacks he made on Black political figures, including his promotion of the racist “birther” conspiracy theory against former President Barack Obama.


Harris, whose mother was Indian and father Jamaican, was born in Oakland, California. She attended Howard University and became the first female, first Black, and first Asian American vice president.


During the NABJ event, Trump was interviewed by Rachel Scott of ABC News, Kadia Goba of Semafor, and Harris Faulkner of Fox News. Scott challenged Trump on his history of spreading false claims and offensive language, questioning why Black voters should trust him.


Trump reacted defensively, criticizing Scott and accusing her network of being “fake news.” He claimed to have made significant contributions to the Black community, including funding for historically Black colleges and universities, and rebuked the panel’s organization and delays, calling it a “disgrace.”


Scott’s question about Harris being labeled a “DEI hire” was met with Trump’s ambiguous response: “I really don’t know. Could be. Could be.”
In his remarks, Trump also claimed he was “the best president for the Black population since Abraham Lincoln,” a statement that drew audible reactions from the audience. He did not answer a follow-up question comparing his presidency to that of Lyndon B. Johnson, who signed significant civil rights legislation into law.
Trump’s appearance at the NABJ convention was marked by tension and controversy, highlighting ongoing conflicts and debates about race and identity in American politics.

Social Media Reacts

Conservatives when they hear Kamala Harris is Black AND Indian pic.twitter.com/uVxWuuukrU

— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) August 1, 2024

On the other end of the aisle was a slew of users with what they considered proof that Kamala once identified only as an Indian American. Case in point..

 

AP reported on it pic.twitter.com/5SLFcL6u9a

— This Is Texas Freedom Force (@ThisIsTexasFF) July 31, 2024

..to which many would respond by explaining to the OP just why this information was invalid. 

The NEWSWORTHY thing is that she's the first American of Indian descent in the Senate. She's also Black, but there have been several Black senators before her, so not included in the headline. Are you being intentionally dense?

— Joe Hickey's Cricket Burner (@HickeyCricket) August 1, 2024