NABJ Leaders Defend Planned Donald Trump Q&A Amid Widespread Backlash

The president of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) is defending its decision to invite Donald Trump to participate in a Q&A session on Wednesday.

However, some members of the organization have criticized the move due to Trump’s past actions.

Trump is scheduled to appear at the association’s Chicago convention alongside ABC News’ Rachel Scott, Fox News’ Harris Faulkner, and Semafor’s Kadia Goba as moderators.

Ken Lemon, the president of NABJ, explained in a statement posted on X/Twitter that while the organization does not endorse political candidates, they recognize the important work of their members and welcome the opportunity for them to ask tough questions that will provide accurate information to Black Americans.

Lemon stated that Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris were invited to the event, following a tradition of inviting candidates from both major parties during each presidential cycle.

However, several journalists have expressed their opposition to the decision to feature Trump.

April Ryan, a White House correspondent for The Grio, strongly criticized the invitation, emphasizing that the reports of attacks on Black women by the former president were not mere rumors but factual. She argued that hosting a presumed orchestrated session with Trump would be a betrayal of NABJ’s values and a slap in the face to the Black women journalists who had to protect themselves from the wrath of this Republican presidential nominee who advocated for an authoritarian agenda that threatened to destroy the nation and its democracy through his Project 2025.

Jim Trotter, a national columnist for The Athletic, described the Trump invitation as a “poor decision” by NABJ, making it difficult to express his feelings in words.

Other journalists have criticized the organization for its association with Trump allies who have attacked diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, which have been instrumental in diversifying newsrooms.

Tia Mitchell, a Washington correspondent for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, shared her involvement in the decision to invite Trump.

She addressed critics of the decision, urging them to reconsider their skepticism and consider the reasons behind the invitation of a group of journalists to question former and possibly future President Trump.

We’re just ‘bloggers’ over here — but we think inviting Trump to NABJ is super irresponsible. The ‘journalists’ in charge over there should know better!

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