"Is she black?"

Origin, skin color: Trump attacks Harris again

Harris had long advertised exclusively with her Indian ancestry and then suddenly became black, Trump claimed during an appearance before the National Association of Black Journalists in Chicago.

(Bild: AFP/2024 Getty Images)

Neo-candidate Kamala Harris appears to be increasingly becoming a threat to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. She has made up ground for the Democrats since Biden's departure - and Trump is attacking her non-stop. On Wednesday, he accused her of hating Jews and attacked her because of her origin and skin color. He compared himself to Abraham Lincoln.

US presidential candidate Donald Trump sharply attacked his Democratic opponent Kamala Harris during a question and answer session at the National Association of Black Journalists. The reception was cool, and there had even been discussion beforehand as to whether Trump should be invited at all.

"She has always been of Indian descent and has only advertised her Indian descent," Trump said of Harris. "I didn't know she was black until she suddenly became black a few years ago. And now she wants to be known as black."

I didn't know she was black until she suddenly became black a few years ago. And now she wants to be known as black.

Donald Trump über Kamala Harris

The former US president followed up. "So I don't know: is she Indian or is she black?" He respects both, but Harris herself apparently does not, given her "about-face". "I think someone should take a look at that."

Comparison with Abraham Lincoln
Trump said of himself: "I'm the best president for the black people since Abraham Lincoln!" He received moderate applause and boos for this. Lincoln (1809-1865) ended slavery in the USA. Trump draws this comparison because he "created more jobs for black people" during his time in office as president.

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) ended slavery in the USA and apparently serves as a role model for Trump.

(Bild: Photo by Brendan Smialowski/AFP)

Harris is the first woman, the first black woman and the first American with Asian roots to take the oath as US Vice President. She was born in Oakland in the US state of California. Her father had immigrated to the USA from Jamaica to study economics. Her mother - a cancer researcher and civil rights activist - came from India. Harris wants to run against Trump in the presidential election in November.

Political leaders shocked by statements
The White House reacted indignantly to Trump's statements. Spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre called the statements "offensive" and "repulsive". Jean-Pierre - herself the first black woman to hold the post of White House spokesperson - emphasized: "No one has the right to tell anyone who they are, how they identify."

Trump had already given space to racist conspiracy theories about the Democrat in 2020 before Harris took office. These questioned whether she should even be vice president because her parents were not yet US citizens when she was born.

Attacks part of the election campaign strategy
This is not the first time that Trump has attacked his political opponents below the belt. Years earlier, Trump had already participated in conspiracy theories that questioned former President Barack Obama's birthplace (Hawaii) and thus his qualification for the highest office in the land.