Donald Trump has revisited his criticism of Kamala Harris’ racial identity in a new podcast interview.
Last month, Trump was widely criticized after he claimed he was unaware of Harris’ true racial heritage and suggested she was “going black.”
“I didn’t know she was black,” he told the National Association of Black Journalists in Chicago.
“She was always of Indian descent, and she only promoted Indian heritage… until several years ago when she happened to become black, and now she wants to be known as black,” Trump said.
He doubled down on those comments podcast interview with entrepreneur Patrick Bet-David that aired Thursday, and goes on to suggest that this is one reason why black men might be turned off by her.
It came during a discussion about how Harris is struggling to shore up support among black men, a key demographic group that Democrats have historically enjoyed.
Former President Donald Trump revised past comments about rival Kamala Harris’ racial identity, saying “some people” say this is why her numbers among black men don’t match previous Democratic nominees
The Bet-David host brought up Trump’s inflammatory comments, agreeing with him that “she should be Indian, but now all of a sudden she’s black.”
Harris’ father was born in Jamaica and mother was from India.
“And you think that’s why black men don’t do well with her? Some people say that,” Trump replied cautiously.
A poll shared by Bet-David showed Barack Obama getting 81 percent of black men ages 18 to 44, with the share dropping to 63 percent under Hillary Clinton, 53 percent under Joe Biden and 41 percent under Harris.
“They’ve really lost it for a while, the Republicans,” Trump said, speaking of black voters.
Trump also criticized Barack Obama for chastising black men for not supporting Kamala Harris in sufficient numbers.
During a surprise campaign visit to Pittsburgh last week, Obama criticized “the brothers” in the black community for their lack of enthusiasm for Harris.
“I think he spoke down to black men,” Trump said of Obama.
In reference to Harris, the interviewer referred to “Kamala, who is apparently black…”
That prompted Trump to ask, “What do you mean, apparently?”
“That’s what they’re telling us: we have to believe she’s black,” Bet-David said.
“No, no – you see, I would never say a thought like that,” Trump interjected at one point, chuckling.
Trump, who appeared to toy with his host during the PDB podcast, added: “Apparently I wanted to throw it on your shoulders. You could explain it.’
Trump spoke about Harris’ race in a podcast interviewer with entrepreneur Patrick Bet-David
Harris on Thursday denounced Trump’s comments about an ‘enemy from within’
He then turned to attacking black CNN commentator Van Jones. “I look at that sleazebag now and I say, he has a bad manner,” Trump said.
He told a story about Jones thanking everyone but him after the passage of the criminal justice reform bill.
“I did it for black people. The only people who told me about criminal justice reform were African Americans. That’s it,” Trump said of the effort, criticizing a TV appearance by Jones.
It was one of many moments in the lecture that focused on race. Earlier in the interview, Trump said of Obama, the first black president and his old enemy: “I think he’s an angry man. He’s an annoying guy. He’s got a bit of an edge.’
“I think he spoke condescendingly to black men, I think it’s terrible the way he spoke to them
‘He’s changed a lot. Visually, he changed,” Trump said after watching a clip of the gray-haired Obama speaking at a Harris rally.
Trump also talked about sending money to historically black colleges.
“I think that’s why black men like me. And I think black women do that too,” before returning to Harris.
Trump himself returned to the discussion about his rival’s race later in the interview.
‘You would say she is Indian, but she is black. But a lot of people didn’t know, and that’s true,” he said.
“I only heard about it a few months ago,” Bet-David said. “That she’s black, or that she’s Indian?” Trump said, chuckling.
Then Bet-David said he thought she was “doing a Sammy Sosa,” referring to the baseball slugger who is accused of using creams that whitened his skin.
‘Sammy is changing. People change. Oh, he could hit the ball…’ Trump said.