Trumps Appearance Before Black Journalists Leads to Memorable Confrontation with ABC's Rachel Scott
Former President Donald Trump's appearance before a gathering of Black journalists on Wednesday turned remarkably contentious, primarily due to sharp questioning by ABC News correspondent Rachel Scott. Scott pressed Trump on his past statements about Black leaders, his support of the Jan. 6, 2021, rioters, and diversity hiring, leading the former president to repeatedly complain about how he was treated.
"She was very rude," the former president said, pointing at Scott.
Trump's appearance at a meeting of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) was fraught with tension from the start. Some members objected to the Republican candidate for president's invitation to address the group, while others argued it was their duty as journalists to question him. The onstage panel, which included Trump being questioned by Scott, Fox News Channel's Harris Faulkner, and Semafor's Kadia Goba, was delayed for more than a half hour due to technical issues.
Scott, ABC News' senior congressional reporter and a campaign correspondent, has been with ABC News since 2016. Her visibility has increased recently, notably when she anchored the network's live coverage of President Joe Biden dropping out of the presidential race. In her first question, Scott addressed the controversy surrounding Trump’s appearance and specifically cited several of his past statements about Black leaders, including his false accusations about former President Barack Obama’s birthplace and his rude remarks to members of Congress, district attorneys, and journalists.
"Now that you are asking Black voters to vote for you, why should Black voters trust you after you've used language like that?" Scott asked.
Trump immediately took issue with the questioner. "I don't think I've ever been asked a question in such a horrible manner, a first question," he replied. "You don't even say ‘hello, how are you.’ Are you with ABC? Because I think they're a fake news network."
This opening salvo was reminiscent of Trump's first campaign debate in 2016, when then-Fox News Channel reporter Megyn Kelly brought up his comments about women and asked, “Does this sound to you like the temperament of a man we should elect as president?”
When Trump began discussing what his administration did for Black Americans, Scott attempted to steer him back to the question, saying, “Mr. President, I would love for you to answer the question on your rhetoric and why you believe Black voters can trust you for another term.”
Trump insisted he was addressing the question and repeated a claim he has made before, that he was the best President for Black people since Abraham Lincoln. "Better than President Johnson, who signed the Civil Rights Act?" Scott challenged.
Scott then asked whether Trump backed supporters who suggested that his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, was a DEI hire. This led to a back-and-forth between them over the meaning of the phrase — for diversity, equity, and inclusion. "Do you think Vice President Kamala Harris is only on the ticket because she's a Black person?" Scott asked, prompting Trump to question Harris' racial background.
Scott also pressed Trump on his support for people convicted for their actions in the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. “One hundred and forty police officers were assaulted that day,” she said. “Their injuries included broken bones, at least one police officer lost an eye, one had cracked ribs, two smashed spinal discs, another had a stroke. Were the people who assaulted these 140 officers ... patriots who deserve pardons?”
Trump deflected, turning the subject to demonstrations held by those in support of liberal causes.
The panel ended in some confusion. Scott, who was the moderator, cut off an attempt by Faulkner to ask about the Project 2025 blueprint, stating that Trump's time was limited.
After the session, Trump posted on his Truth Social account that “the questions were Rude and Nasty, often in the form of a statement, but we CRUSHED IT!”
A student journalist attending the conference, Kelly Arrington of Savannah State University, commented, “I assumed that Trump came just so he could win over more Black voters ... But, unfortunately, in this conversation, he did not answer the questions that were given to him.”
The session quickly became a topic of discussion on social media, with some praising Scott for asking tough questions, while others suggested Trump was led into an ambush.
Associated Press correspondent Matt Brown contributed to this report. David Bauder writes about media for the AP. Follow him at http://twitter.com/dbauder.