Kamala Harris: Trump's New Target in Latest Race-Baiting Stunt

Donald Trump spreads lies about Kamala Harris's race

Kamala Harris was "Indian all the way, and then all of a sudden, she made a turn and she went, she became a Black person."

In a combative appearance at the National Association of Black Journalists conference, former President Donald Trump disputed VP Kamala Harris's identity, claiming she "became" Black. When asked about Republicans labeling Harris as a "DEI hire," Trump said:

"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 [...] I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black? 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."

Trump later shared a video of Harris with Mindy Kaling, in which Harris mentions her Indian heritage, as "evidence" of his claims.

The truth about Harris's heritage:

This is a blatant lie and a racist attack on Harris's background and identity. Harris, the daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants, has long identified as a Black woman with a multicultural background. She attended Howard University, a historically Black university, was a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, and has spoken about embracing her Indian culture while proudly living as a Black woman.

The Trump campaign provided no evidence for his false assertions, and experts agree that these claims reflect a poor understanding of racial identity in the US.

A familiar tactic:

This isn't the first time Trump has employed such a tactic. He has a long history of pushing "birtherism" conspiracies, including those against former President Barack Obama, displaying a troubling pattern of "othering" political opponents.

Harris's campaign called Trump's comments "repulsive" and "insulting." Sadly, experts predict that such racist attacks will continue, highlighting the need for voters to confront their biases and make decisions based on facts, not fear.

Sources:

• C-SPAN: Former President Trump Speaks at NABJ Conference
• PolitiFact: Kamala Harris and Racial Identity
• The Washington Post: Kamala Harris Defines Herself Simply as 'American'
• Reuters: Fact Check on Kamala Harris's Identity
• SF Gate: Obama's Race and Identity
• Monterey Herald: Indian Immigrants in US Politics
• The New York Times: Kamala Harris's Time in Canada