Trump’s Comments on Kamala Harris’s Racial Identity

Vice President Kamala Harris’s supporters were neither shocked nor taken aback by Donald Trump’s recent comments questioning her racial identity, viewing them as both swift and unsurprising. Just a week into her presidential campaign, Harris, the first Black and Indian American woman to lead a major party’s ticket, finds herself confronting Trump’s assertion that she has emphasized her Black identity for political gain.

Trump remarked at a National Association of Black Journalists event, “I didn’t know she was Black until several 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 Black?” He further claimed that Harris “was Indian all the way” but then “became a Black person.”

In response, Harris addressed Trump’s comments at the annual gathering of the historically Black sorority Sigma Gamma Rho, labeling his remarks as “the same old show — the divisiveness and the disrespect.” Harris emphasized, “The American people deserve a leader who tells the truth, a leader who doesn’t respond with hostility and anger when presented with the facts. We deserve a leader who understands that our differences do not divide us. They are an essential source of our strength.”

Advisors and supporters of Harris, some of whom spoke anonymously due to the situation’s sensitivity, noted that her response need not be overtly dramatic or forceful to be impactful. They believe that Trump’s rhetoric could distance him from moderate voters who are concerned about the prospect of a second Trump term marked by chaos and hostility. Additionally, Trump’s statements could galvanize Democratic voters who view Harris’s candidacy as a historic milestone in racial progress.

“I don’t think she has to say anything, honestly,” commented Bakari Sellers, a former South Carolina state representative and a Harris confidant. “Sometimes you don’t have to. What’s the saying — you never fight with a pig because you both get muddy, and the pig likes it. So, there’s no need for her to respond to it. We can see the history of her candidacy. She needs to continue to tell Americans what she can do for them. Let him unravel.”

2024 Presidential Election

The situation underscores the uniqueness of the current political moment, with Harris as the first woman of color running for president on a major-party ticket in a nation with a history of no women and only one person of color serving as president.

Harris’s recent engagements, including events with historically Black sororities and fraternities, aimed to resonate with Black women. Her appearance at the Sigma Gamma Rho event was part of her extensive outreach efforts. Harris also spoke to her sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, in July and addressed Zeta Phi Beta last week. She had previously spoken to an enthusiastic crowd of 10,000 in Atlanta, primarily composed of Black women.

Harris is also set to speak at the funeral of Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Tex.), a prominent voice for Black Americans and women of color, further highlighting her connection to these communities.

Trump’s statements are part of a broader pattern of attacks on Harris’s identity. On Tuesday, he suggested she would be weak against foreign leaders due to her appearance but did not elaborate. “She’ll be like a play toy,” Trump told Fox News. “They look at her and say, ‘We can’t believe we got so lucky.’ They’re going to walk all over her.” He added, “And I don’t want to say why. But a lot of people understand it.”

Some voters may expect Harris to counter Trump’s remarks assertively, akin to John F. Kennedy’s response to criticisms of his Catholic faith during the 1960 election. In her initial presidential bid, Harris criticized Joe Biden for his past positions on busing and segregation, which resonated with some supporters but was perceived by others as calculated.

Harris’s allies suggest that engaging Trump’s comments in depth could shift the focus to a racial debate, dividing voters into partisan camps. Allowing Trump’s remarks to stand could lead many voters to reject them, enabling Harris to concentrate on pressing issues like the economy and reproductive rights.

Harris, whose mother was Indian and father Jamaican, has long embraced her dual heritage. A graduate of Howard University and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha since the mid-1980s, she frequently discusses her trailblazing role in various positions she has held.

Following President Biden’s withdrawal from the race after a challenging debate with Trump, Harris emerged as the Democratic frontrunner, aiming to invigorate minority and younger voters who were less enthusiastic about Biden, the oldest president in history, seeking a second term. Biden is 81 years old, and Harris is 59.

In this redefined race, both Harris and Trump are seeking Black voter support. Harris is engaging with Black sororities and hosting rallies in predominantly Black cities. At the same time, Trump has addressed Black journalists, claiming he was “the best president for the Black population” since Abraham Lincoln. He also criticized the Black female journalists moderating the NABJ event as biased and unprofessional.

Trump’s campaign issued a statement that did not directly address his comments, asserting, “President Trump remains defiant in the face of media bias and will continue working to make life better for all Americans regardless of how poorly supporters of Kamala Harris treat him. In fact, President Trump hopes to win them over in the future with his vision of returning success to our Country.”

A Harris campaign spokesperson responded by highlighting Trump’s consistent hostility throughout his life and political career, stating, “Trump lobbed personal attacks and insults at Black journalists the same way he did throughout his presidency — while he failed Black families and left the entire country digging out of the ditch he left us in.”

The campaign added that Trump’s comments preview “the chaos and division” that would define a second Trump term.

Harris’s supporters anticipated Trump would center identity in his attacks, given his history of questioning opponents’ backgrounds. His political rise began with false claims about President Barack Obama’s birthplace. He disparaged his 2016 opponent Hillary Clinton as “unhinged” and “unbalanced” and has consistently mispronounced Harris’s first name.

Donna Brazile, former DNC chair and campaign manager for Vice President Al Gore, noted that Trump adeptly employs racial and gender stereotypes to target women and minority candidates. “One way to try to weaken them or to try to marginalize them is to question their own identity or question their own background or their qualifications,” Brazile observed. “What Trump did today was take a page from the same playbook where he has been one of the primary authors in the last couple of years.”

Brazile urged leaders across society to speak up, cautioning against placing the burden of addressing race and gender solely on a presidential candidate.