'Is She Indian Or Black?': Trump Casts Doubt On Racial Identity Of Kamala Harris

Former US president and current Republican presidential hopeful, Donald Trump, on Wednesday (31 July) raised questions about Vice President Kamala Harris's racial identity, alleging that she had downplayed her Black heritage.

Harris, who has Indian and Jamaican roots, condemned Trump’s remarks, describing them as "the same old show of divisiveness and disrespect".

Speaking to a panel of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) convention in Chicago, Illinois, 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? But you know what, I respect either one, but she obviously doesn't, because she was Indian all the way, and then all of a sudden she made a turn, and she went - she became a Black person," Trump remarked, India Today reported.

Harris, a Democrat, began her presidential campaign last month following President Joe Biden's decision not to run.

Although Republican leaders have advised against personal attacks on Harris and suggested focusing on her policies instead, Trump has stated he will not soften his rhetoric. "I'm not going to be nice!" he declared at a campaign rally.

Trump's participation at the NABJ was part of his strategy to attract Black voters, a demographic that has traditionally supported Democrats. In the 2020 election, Black voters backed Biden over Trump by a margin of 92-8 percent, according to Pew Research.

Trump's campaign in Chicago was encouraged by polls that showed falling support for Biden, who quit the race over age and mental fitness concerns following a weak presidential debate performance in June.

However, the announcement of Harris’s White House run has sparked renewed enthusiasm among Black voters and other minority groups.

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