Donald Trump delayed the start of the Q&A session at the National Association of Black Journalists annual convention in Chicago on Wednesday because he did not want to be fact-checked live by journalists.
The Q&A, featuring prominent Black journalists, including ABC News’ Rachel Scott and Fox News’ Harris Faulkner was delayed for more than an hour.
At the time Trump blamed the delay on technical and audio issues, but NABJ president Ken Lemon told Axios that those issues “were resolved very quickly,” and it was the former president’s team insisting that the interview proceed without live fact-checking that was the cause of the lengthy delay.
“[Trump’s team] said, ‘Well, can you not fact check? He’s not going to take the stage if you fact-check,'” Lemon said.
The stalemate grew so lengthy NABJ leaders were prepared to explain to the audience that Trump would not be taking the stage because he did not want journalists to correct his false statement.
“I was prepared to go on stage to craft a statement, saying he decided not to go on stage because of fact-checking,” Lemon said. “We couldn’t compromise on that.”
Trump eventually caved and took the stage while Lemon was crafting the statement but the former president’s team asked NABJ not to post the fact-checking on social media platforms or allow the moderator to disclose that there would be fact-checking.
Trump immediately clashed with Scott over what he deems to be a “rude” introduction and a “nasty” question. Also, days later the fallout continues over comments he made on stage at the event suggested that Vice-President Kamala Harris is not 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,” he said. “And now she wants to be known as Black. So I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black?”
Trump has doubled down on his controversial comments suggesting that because Harris acknowledges her Indian heritage, she can’t also be Black.
