Editor’s Note: Former President Donald Trump’s talk at the NABJ convention in Chicago is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. and will be streamed live in the player above once it begins.
Former president and current Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump will speak at a National Association of Black Journalists convention event in Chicago on Wednesday, a decision that has sparked backlash within the organization and led to a co-chair resigning from her position.
Trump is scheduled to appear at the convention, which will be held at the Hilton Hotel at 720 S. Michigan Ave., at 12 p.m. Wednesday in a conversation with moderators Rachel Scott of ABC News; Harris Faulker of Fox News and Kadia Goba Semafor, an NABJ report said.
The event, open only to convention attendees, is described by organizers as a “question-and-answer session with political journalists in front of an audience of registered convention attendees that will focus on the most pressing issues facing the Black community.” The events will be fact-checked live by PolitiFact and are expected to last an hour, organizers said.
No questions from the audience will be taken, the event website said. The event will be streamed live in the player above and on the NBC Chicago streaming channel once it begins.
“We look forward to our attendees hearing from former President Trump on the critical issues that matter most to our members and their audiences,” NABJ President Ken Lemon said in an initial statement about the event. “While NABJ does not endorse political candidates as a journalism organization, we understand the serious work our members do and welcome the opportunity to ask the tough questions that will provide the truthful answers Black Americans want and need to know.”
On Wednesday, Lemon released a new statement defending the organization’s controversial decision to invite Trump to speak, saying it was “consistent” with convention practices dating back to 1976.
Lemon said Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, has also been invited to speak.
“We have always made sure that candidates know that an invitation does not constitute an endorsement,” Lemon said in his statement. “We also agreed that while this race is very different – and controversial – the consequences are equally so.”
Lemon’s full statement can be found below:
NABJ has been in talks with both the Democratic and Republican parties since January. NABJ was in contact with Vice President Kamala Harris’ team for an in-person meeting before President Joe Biden dropped out of the race in July.
However, her campaign informed us that her schedule could not accommodate this request. The last update we received was that Harris would not be available in person or virtually during our convention. We are in discussions about virtual options for the future and are still working to reach an agreement.
I consulted with a group of our NABJ founders and past presidents on Tuesday on site in Chicago, and as a group we affirmed that the invitation to former President Trump was consistent with NABJ’s standard practice since 1976. Our policy has always been to ensure that candidates know that an invitation is not an endorsement. We also agreed that while this race is very different — and contentious — the consequences are equally different.
While we recognize the concerns expressed by our members, we believe it is important for us to provide them with the opportunity to hear directly from candidates and hold them accountable. We also want to provide them with the facts.
According to press releases from various organizations, at least two groups are planning to hold protests ahead of the event in downtown Chicago. Traffic on Chicago streets could be affected.
Trump’s appearance at NABJ drew mixed reactions within the organization, with convention co-chair Washington Post reporter Karen Attiah announcing she would resign from her position, saying she was not consulted on the decision to invite Trump to speak.
“To the journalists who interview Trump, I wish them good luck,” Attiah wrote in a message on social networks announcing his decision to resign from his position. “For everyone else, I look forward to meeting and reconnecting with you all in the Windy City.”
Attiah later said her decision was influenced by a “variety of factors” and that she was “not involved or consulted in any way in the decision to present Trump in such a format.”
Attiah’s announcement Tuesday came several hours before a source familiar with Vice President Kamala Harris’ plans announced that she would not attend the NABJ convention due to conflicts with her schedule, according to a CNBC report. According to an NABJ report, Harris has offered to address the NABJ virtually, following the convention.
The last time Trump visited Chicago was for a rally in 2019. Hundreds of protesters gathered outside Trump Tower in the Loop, dozens of physical altercations broke out in the audience at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and the then-president himself expressed his resentment, calling former Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown a “disgrace.”
Former President Donald Trump, the current Republican presidential nominee, will travel to Chicago on Wednesday and attend the National Association of Black Journalists’ annual convention and career fair, the NABJ announced Monday night.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a harsh critic of the former president, said Tuesday the city would be prepared for the visit, but had strong words about Trump’s perceived disdain for Chicago.
“It’s no secret that former President Donald Trump is an abuser,” he said. “He was very cruel to many people, particularly in the black press.”
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker also blasted Trump’s visit, saying he repeatedly insulted Midwestern cities and values.
“Every time Donald Trump goes to the Midwest, he tells us how much he hates the Midwest,” he said. “He’s called Milwaukee horrible. He’s called Detroit corrupt. He’s trashed the Chicago police. His visit to Chicago tomorrow will no doubt be another attempt to distract from his struggling campaign, with as many lies as there are vacancies at Trump Tower.”
Donald Trump’s appearance comes just weeks before the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, scheduled for August 19-22, where President Joe Biden is scheduled to deliver a keynote address.
