Donald Trump’s interview at the National Association of Black Journalists convention Wednesday frequently turned heated — and featured personal attacks on ABC News’ Rachel Scott.
Trump, from the very beginning of the interview, took issue with Scott’s tough questioning, called her “nasty,” and blamed her for the conversation being delayed for more than 30 minutes due to audio issues.
“You have told four congresswomen — women of color who were American citizens — to go back to where they came from. You have used words like ‘animal’ and ‘rabbid’ to describe Black district attorneys. You've attacked Black journalists, calling them a ‘loser,’ saying the questions that they ask are, ‘stupid’ and ‘racist.’ You've had dinner with a white supremacist at your Mar-a-Lago resort,” Scott said in her first question to Trump. “Why should Black voters trust you after you have used language like that?”
“I don't think I've ever been asked a question so — in such a horrible manner,” Trump said. “For you to start off a question-and-answer period — especially when you're 35 minutes late because you couldn't get your equipment to work — in such a hostile manner. I think it's a disgrace.”
Trump also raised eyebrows when he said Vice President Kamala Harris “happened to turn Black.”
“Do you believe that Vice President Kamala Harris is only on the ticket because she is a Black woman?” Scott asked the former president during his sitdown interview with her, Semafor’s Kadia Goba, and Fox News’ Harris Faulkner.
“Well, I can say, no, I think it's maybe a little bit different,” 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. So, I don't know. Is she Indian or is she Black?”
Trump during his interview also gave a tepid defense of his running mate, JD Vance as he has been widely criticized for past comments seen as demeaning toward women, including calling Harris a “childless cat lady.” Trump said his selection of Vance has no major impact on the race.
Trump also said he would pardon January 6th rioters who were convicted of attacking police officers.
