Trump appearing in Chicago later today for Q-and-A with Black journalists
Crowds have begun to gather at the Hilton Chicago, where GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump is scheduled to appear later today for a question-and-answer session with a panel of Black journalists.
The decision by the National Association of Black Journalists to invite Trump was slammed by some members and attendees, and the conference’s co-chair, Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah, announced on X that she was stepping down from her role.
In response to the controversy, NABJ President Ken Lemon issued a statement saying, in part: "While we acknowledge the concerns expressed by our members, we believe it is important for us to provide our members with the opportunity to hear directly from candidates and hold them accountable."
CNN offered a live update from outside the hotel hours before Trump's noon appearance, and the area outside the ballroom was jammed with long before the doors opened, both with journalists there to attend the event and others there to cover it.
Questions from three-person panel
The event will be moderated by Rachel Scott, senior congressional correspondent for ABC News; Harris Faulkner of Fox News; and Kadia Goba, politics reporter at Semafor. Goba interviewed Trump this year, and Faulkner sat down with Trump this month.
Some NABJ members and members of the media say Trump’s treatment of Black reporters during his presidential term should disqualify him from participating. Others are upset about the timing of the announcement — two days before the five-day convention begins, and as many members were already traveling to Chicago for the event.
Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic nominee, will not be attending the convention due to logistics, including selecting her running mate, according to a source familiar with the discussions. Convention organizers also denied a request for Harris to appear for a virtual chat.
Prior to dropping his re-election bid, President Joe Biden had confirmed he would appear at the NABJ convention.
Event will be streamed live
Attendees had been advised by convention organizers to arrive at least an hour early to get into the International Ballroom at the hotel, 720 S. Michigan Ave. There is no overflow room, so once the room reaches capacity, online viewing is the only option.
The interview will be livestreamed via NABJ’s YouTube and Facebook accounts, and can be viewed here.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.