Former President Donald Trump has launched a personal attack on Vice President Kamala Harris, questioning her racial identity in recent remarks. Speaking at a gathering of black journalists in Chicago, Trump claimed that Harris, who has been known for her "Indian heritage," suddenly began to identify as Black in recent years. He expressed confusion over her racial identity, stating, "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, and now she wants to be known as Black."

Trump's comments came in response to a question about why Black voters should support him given his history of racist remarks. He questioned Harris' shift in identity, suggesting it was a recent development. "I respect either one," Trump said, "but she obviously doesn't, because she was Indian all the way, and then all of a sudden she made a turn and she went - she became a Black person."

This is not the first time Trump has made controversial remarks regarding race. He previously promoted the "birther" conspiracy theory, claiming that former President Barack Obama was not born in the United States.

Kamala Harris, who is of Indian and Jamaican descent, was born in Oakland, California, and attended Howard University, a historically Black institution. She is the first female, first Black, and first Asian American vice president. With President Joe Biden having recently dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed Harris as the Democratic nominee, her candidacy has invigorated the Democratic campaign. In her first week as a presidential candidate, Harris raised over 200 million dollars.

The White House swiftly condemned Trump's comments, describing them as "insulting" and asserting that only Harris can define her own identity. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated, "As a person of color, as a Black woman, who is in this position, standing before you, at this podium...what he said is insulting." Jean-Pierre emphasized that it is not anyone's place to dictate how someone identifies, asserting that Harris alone has the right to speak on her experiences and identity.