Trump’s NABJ Invitation triggers outrage on social media

By Madison Hamilton

Former president and current Republican front-runner, Donald Trump, will attend the NABJ Convention to speak on a panel in Chicago. The announcement led to vitriol responses from NABJ members and non-members on social media.

Tia Michelle, a Washington D.C. correspondent for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and co-chair of the NABJ convention programming and political task force, helped arrange for Trump to speak at the event.

Michelle said that while Trump may have an agenda for attending, it is no different from any other presidential candidate’s motives for participating in events. “This conversation with President Trump will be one hour on the first day of a four-day conference,” Michelle said. “I’m confident that [NABJ attendees] will still find many other things to enjoy about this convention in Chicago.”

Within two hours of the announcement Monday night, it became a trending topic on X, formally known as Twitter. X users took the opportunity to share their thoughts about Trump  speaking with NABJ journalists.

I am disgusted by NABJ’s decision to invite DT to the annual conference in Chicago. He has directly put the lives of members at risk. We are not obligated to provide him with a platform or further legitimize him whatsoever.

— Giselle Phelps (@GisellePhelps) July 30, 2024

You are sorely appreciated (in this time especially).

— Matthew D. Morrison (@DrMaDMo) July 30, 2024

There were even more strong reactions on NABJ’s official Instagram page. Members and non-members took to the comments to voice their opinions and share their perspectives.

Trump’s upcoming appearance has also prompted some NABJ members to change their convention plans. Karen Attiah, a columnist for the Washington Post and a 2024 NABJ co-chair, announced via X on Tuesday morning that she was stepping down from her position for various reasons, but indicated that she “was not involved or consulted in any way regarding the decision to platform Trump in such a format.”

I have decided to step down as co- chair from this year’s #NABJ24 convention in Chicago.

To the journalists interviewing Trump, I wish them the best of luck.

For everyone else, I’m looking forward to meeting and reconnecting with all of you in the Windy City. #nabj

— Karen Attiah (@KarenAttiah) July 30, 2024

Attitah did not respond to an email request for comment on her announcement at the time of publication.

NABJ President Ken Lemon defended the invitation to Trump saying, “It is our jobs as journalists to have those uncomfortable conversations so that the people who count on us to inform them get the information from the source. And I hope as a journalism organization, National Association of Black Journalists, we take that portion seriously.”

NABJ always invites the presidential candidates to its Convention. In 2016, Hillary Clinton held a mini-press conference, and in 2020, Joe Biden made an address to the NABJ attendees. While Trump was invited both times, this will be the first time he has chosen to attend.

Trump will be speaking with and receiving questions from political journalists on a panel during the opening day of the convention in Chicago on Wednesday at noon CDT. The journalists on the panel are Rachel Scott from ABC News, Harris Faulkner from FOX News, and Kadia Goba from Semafor.