Why NABJ Got Trump-Punked
by Naba’a Muhammad, StraightWords.com
Naba'a Muhammad
The Trumpster fire, dumpster fire disaster in Chicago at the National Association of Black Journalists annual convention was a massive lesson in how to get played and punked by the MAGA Man himself and disgraced in your own house.
What happened NABJ?
You were willing to be played and you were. What was the reason for bringing Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee and convicted felon, to the gathering? It looks like it was a ridiculously, amateur and naïve embrace of “learning more about a candidate” who we already know about. Nothing new came out of the interview. Trump kept up with the insults. Starting with an attack on Rachel Scott of ABC News right off the bat.
“You have pushed false claims about some of your rivals from Nikki Haley to former president Barack Obama saying that they were not born in the United States, which is not true. You have told four congresswomen of color who were American citizens to go back to where they came from. You have used words like animal and rabbit to describe Black district attorneys,” she said to Trump.
“You've attacked black journalists calling them a loser, saying the questions that they ask are stupid and racist. You've had dinner with a White supremacist at your Mar-a-Lago Resort. So my question sir, now that you are asking Black supporters to vote for you, why should Black voters trust you after you have used language like that?” she asked.
Trump’s response? “I don't think I've ever been asked the question, so in such a horrible manner, the first question, you don't even say, ‘hello, how are you?’ Are you with ABC? Because I think they're a fake news network, a terrible network,” he said. “I think it's a very rude introduction. I don't know exactly why you would do something like that.”
Trademark Trump. Nothing new. Insults and personal attacks on a Black female journalist. But what did you expect? A new and improved Trump that the mainstream media seems to keep waiting to emerge? The best thing about Trump is he’s transparent with his anti-Blackness, lies, racial pandering and appeals to White grievance. Trump didn’t show up to earn Black votes. He showed up to put what was supposed to be some of Black America’s finest in their place. He did.
You followed a playbook handed out to you by your White media bosses. Mainstream media has a Trump obsession. It spends plenty of time trying to make sense of his nonsensical nonsense. They create serious discussions about his ridiculous points. Every time they do that, and don’t challenge him on facts, it normalizes his gross falsehoods and leads to media drive-bys. Your White colleagues don’t even want to call him a liar. He needs hard factchecking all night and day and if you aren’t going to do that, don’t waste time talking to him. Plus, your White networks and outlets, like the Democratic Party, are always worried about losing and offending White folk. Remember that. So you basically asked the same questions that were already out there: DEI? Age and ability? Trump vice presidential pick J.D. Vance? January 6 insurrection? Hmmm. What about reparations? Policy on Africa? Outlook on Haiti? Keeping cops under control? Protecting Black voting rights? Kendrick versus Drake? You get the point right?
Wrong people for the assignment? Every reporter isn’t the same. Trump requires a hard-nosed, won’t back down journalist who takes charge. That means you don’t ask his permission to move on with a question, you move on. You don’t keep genuflecting to him as “Mr. President,” it emboldens him. You stay on point and ignore the niceties. This isn’t a regular interview, you are in a confrontation with a deceiver, unrepentant trafficker in untruths and a big time, unapologetic bully. That’s his politics and his brand.
Trump loves trolling and trying to terrify Black women. His disdain oozes out of his being and his words. It would have been a good idea to include some Black male energy on the stage to tap down that Trump testosterone. Lastly, NABJ you once again did a white-out on Black owned media in a major city with qualified, experienced Black broadcasters, writers and editors who don’t work for White folk. They hear from us every day and don’t have to worry about White feelings.
Trump has no rules. NABJ you really knew this right? The former leader of the free world only follows his own rules. His word means nothing. His promises are false. He doesn’t respect norms, manners nor civilized behavior. He’s a savage. And his people, millions of mainly White Americans, love him for it. So dealing with him, expect him to do the opposite of what he says he will do. Don’t be surprised when he steps on stage and immediately attacks you, calls you incompetent, balks at being factchecked in real time and leaves early. He filibusters. He belittles. He attacks. He insults. The more you try to stick to norms, the more at a disadvantage you are. You may say he looks crazy, but he makes you look weak. You have to decide what your rules of engagement will be and have a strategy to counter his moves. You need an offensive strategy to go after the truth, don’t expect him to cooperate.
NABJ secret Trump invite? Naw. NABJ, you had to have known this was rather stupid, arrogant and destructive. Knowing who Trump is, you knew a move like this required plenty of dialogue with the membership—especially Black female members who were accosted by this man in the White House and who had their personal lives disrupted and personal security threatened. Instead of an amazing moment for the truth and Black people, you got destroyed. The saddest part is you never saw it coming, or you ignored it. In either case, your betrayal was stunning. You don’t hide things when you’re doing the right thing.
Naba’a Muhammad, award winning Final Call editor, is host of “Straight Words With Naba’a Richard Muhammad, Bj Murphy, and James G. Muhammad,” which airs live Tuesdays, 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. Central Time, on WVON AM 1690 Black Talk Radio Chicago and is livestreamed at the iHeart Radio app and WVON.com. Get more of his writing and content at straightwords.com.