Trumps the GOP nominee...don't really understand the backlash. Just ask him tough questions...
Karen Attiah, a longtime Washington Post columnist, on Tuesday said she was stepping down as co-chair of the annual National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) convention following internal and external backlash over the announcement of former President Trump as a featured speaker.
Why it matters: The group has a history of inviting presidential candidates to its annual conference, but Trump's participation is causing a rift between members.
Karen Attiah, a longtime Washington Post columnist, on Tuesday said she was stepping down as co-chair of the annual National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) convention following internal and external backlash over the announcement of former President Trump as a featured speaker.
Why it matters: The group has a history of inviting presidential candidates to its annual conference, but Trump's participation is causing a rift between members.
- President Biden addressed a virtual conference between the NABJ and NAHJ in 2020.
- Hillary Clinton spoke at a joint conference between the NABJ and the National Association for Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) in 2016.
- Former President Obama spoke at a Unity conference amongst four journalism diversity groups, including NABJ, in 2008.
- Trump will be interviewed on Wednesday at noon CST by a panel of Black journalists, including ABC News correspondent Rachel Scott, Fox News host Harris Faulkner and Semafor reporter Kadia Goba.
- The focus of the discussion is on the most "pressing issues facing the black community," per NABJ. The Trump campaign confirmed his participation in a statement.
- The conference co-chair Tia Michell reportedly defended the decision to invite Trump, posting on X, "I helped make this call. And it's in line with invitations NABJ has sent to every presidential candidate for decades." (Her post is limited in visibility to only select followers on X.)
- Some factions within the group argue NABJ shouldn't veer from the tradition of offering the speaking slot to candidates, just because it's Trump.
- Others argue Trump poses a unique threat to journalists of color, especially Black women, and shouldn't be allowed to speak.
- "There was a point when we were certain Biden and Trump were both going to say yes," he said, noting that Biden dropped out. The organization has been in contact with the Harris camp over the past nine days, but they did not have a commitment as of Tuesday.