Donald Trump stirred controversy on Wednesday with remarks questioning Kamala Harris’s racial identity during an interview at the National Association of Black Journalists conference in Chicago. Trump suggested that Harris, who is both Black and of Indian heritage, might be using her racial identity for political gain.
He commented, “She was always promoting her Indian heritage, and I didn’t realize she was Black until later. Now she wants to identify as Black. Is she Indian or Black? I’m not sure,” referring to Harris as the first Black and South-Asian vice president in U.S. history.
Trump’s remarks were part of a series of personal attacks on Harris, including recent accusations of anti-Semitism, directed at her because of her marriage to a Jewish-American.
The White House quickly condemned Trump’s comments as “insulting.” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, the first Black woman to hold the role, responded by stating, “No one has the right to dictate someone’s identity or how they choose to identify.”
