During a speech in Michigan on Wednesday, August 7, JD Vance defended Donald Trump’s comments questioning Vice President Kamala Harris’ racial identity. Vance described Harris as a “chameleon,” accusing her of altering her identity based on her audience. “She pretends to be one thing when she’s in front of one audience, and she pretends to be something else when she’s in front of another audience,” Vance stated. “She’s a fake,” he added.
NEW: JD Vance shuts down reporter who tries race-baiting him over Kamala Harris.
Reporter: “How can [Kamala] fake her race?”
Vance: “She fakes who she is depending on the audience that she’s in front of, and that’s who she is, and that’s who she’s always been.”
During her… pic.twitter.com/FM59S0usgU
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) August 7, 2024
When asked by a journalist how Harris could “fake” her race if she is both Indian and Black, Vance replied, “She fakes who she is depending on the audience that she’s in front of. That’s who she is and that’s who she always has been.”
Trump’s Comments on Harris’ Racial Identity
The controversy began when Trump, speaking at the National Association of Black Journalists convention in Chicago, questioned Harris’ racial identity. He said, “She was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting Indian heritage. I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black.” Trump suggested someone should investigate her identity shift.
Harris Responds to Trump’s Remarks
In response, Harris criticized Trump’s comments as divisive and disrespectful while speaking at a Sigma Gamma Rho sorority gathering in Houston. “The American people deserve better,” she stated.
The Reuters Fact Check team clarified that Harris has consistently identified herself as Black, South Asian, Indian-American, African-American, and Jamaican-American, reflecting her parents’ diverse backgrounds. This undermines Trump’s claim about her identity.
