Bad Idea: NABJ Officials Face Major Backlash For Inviting Donald Trump To Panel Discussion

Donald Trump is very likely the most polarizing public figure in modern American history. Anything, anyone, or any group associated with him is instantly subject to criticism, ridicule, and insult. This vitriolic reaction isn’t an immature emotional reaction, it is deeply grounded in the knowledge and experience that Donald John Trump, 53% of white women’s favorite POTUS, is a cataloged liar, a habitual scammer, and as sista Jemele Hill so succinctly stated, a white supremacist. That was just the short list of Trump’s undignified accomplishments but the rabbit hole goes deep, we could go further, we promise.

We say all that to say that inviting said individual to a Black a** function is not only bad PR but poor judgment and inexplicable malpractice. However, that is exactly what the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) has decided to do. Chaos erupted on Twitter last night after the organization announced that Trump would be in attendance at the 2024 conference this week.

🟥 Former U.S. President Donald J. Trump will participate in a conversation with journalists at #NABJ24 during its opening day in Chicago on Wednesday, July 31, at noon CST. For more details: https://t.co/3WBTzQg8dd pic.twitter.com/VoPLU41xJC

— #NABJ Headquarters ✊🏾🖊️🎙️💻 📷 🎥 📝 🔈 (@NABJ) July 30, 2024

Instantly, everyone from prominent Black journalists to people who have no connection to professional media whatsoever began collectively scratching their heads and firing off soul-piercing tweets toward NABJ, the chairperson, and the organization’s president.

This is the single dumbest and worst decision in NABJ history.

Whoever made this call is an idiot. And I’ll say it to their face this week. https://t.co/IlJIxwbjnx

— Carron J. Phillips (@carronJphillips) July 30, 2024

Chairwoman Tia Mitchell spent much of the evening trying to justify her decision which only further irritated the members who were appalled at her lack of foresight, care, or consideration.

I helped make this call. And it’s in line with invitations NABJ has sent to every presidential candidate for decades. But continue to go off on your feed. I’ll continue to work to create opportunities for journalists to interview the potential next President. https://t.co/TkD80eixeI

— Tia “Very Calm Sis” Mitchell (@TIAreports) July 30, 2024

NABJ President, Ken Lemon attempted to clean up aisle 6 but the damage was already done…

Yes we did ask both candidates. Every presidential election year we ask the nominees to attend. https://t.co/I1SuRm7ERi

— Ken Lemon (@kenlemonnabj) July 30, 2024

While NABJ does not endorse political candidates as a journalism organization, we understand the serious work of our members, and welcome the opportunity for them to ask the tough questions that will provide the truthful answers Black Americans want and need to know. #NABJ24 https://t.co/2us0OR54JY pic.twitter.com/wgJQkvpMqk

— Ken Lemon (@kenlemonnabj) July 30, 2024

Some folks are defending NABJ’s decision to have Trump as a platform to ask “tough questions” or “seek truth” or whatever other silly journalistic mantras that some feel emotionally beholden to. Donald Trump is not just some “presidential candidate”. He’s all the aforementioned adjectives we used above and much more (see, “worse”). There is no value in talking to him or trying to play “gotcha” games with him. We don’t need more information about his policies, we already know who he is.

Now, we know who NABJ is too…