Trump to attend National Association of Black Journalists convention

Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump gestures during a campaign event in Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. July 24, 2024. /Marco Bello/File Photo

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's campaign on Monday said he would attend a question-and-answer session at the National Association of Black Journalists annual convention this week in Chicago.

Former US President Trump, who has been courting Black voters and whose campaign has been encouraged by some polling showing he may be gaining ground with that group of the electorate, will speak with political journalists before an audience of registered attendees on Wednesday.

The event is closed to the public, but it will be livestreamed on NABJ's YouTube and Facebook pages, NABJ said in a statement.

"We look forward to our attendees hearing from former President Trump on the critical issues our members and their audiences care about most," said NABJ president Ken Lemon.

Lemon went on to say that the Trump event would allow Black journalists in attendance "to ask the tough questions that will provide the truthful answers Black Americans want and need to know."

Trump's campaign said in a written statement that the event "will concentrate on the most pressing issues facing the Black community."

The NABJ said in its statement that fellow presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris was also invited to participate in this year's convention, but that her confirmation is pending.