Who approved Donald Trump’s appearance at the National Association of Black Journalists Convention?
Any crisis PR person could have gamed out the likely outcomes.
None of them would be good.
If the former president had been gracious, answered the questions directly, and made a compelling case to Black Americans about why they should elect him, that would have cost points with his base.
But that didn’t happen. Instead, Trump broke the number one rule of any public relations appearance: do no harm. Google shows there are over seven million posts about Trump’s contentious appearance, ranging from articles to memes.
Scanning the headlines you get a sense that the media have made up their mind on the upshot of Trump’s appearance before the nation’s Black journalists. Liberal-leaning news outlet Mother Jones published: “White Man Tells Black Journalists His Black Opponent Is Not Black.” The Arizona Republic, certainly no bastion of liberal media, declared: Well, Donald Trump’s NABJ interview was ‘insane,’ ‘horrific’ TV. Finally, Fox News ran with: Trump vs. NABJ: Hostility and questions about journalism: very little went according to plan on either side. If Fox News is publishing a both-sides article, that’s not a win.
I don’t think Trump will learn anything from this, but for the rest of us, there are some take-aways worth codifying that are beyond the political tit-for-tat.
First: journalists don’t owe you anything.
When asked why Black voters should trust him, the former president responded: “I don’t think I’ve ever been asked a question so — in such a horrible manner, the first question. You don’t even say, ‘hello, how are you?’”
While this sort of reaction would be OK in a despotic society, that’s not the case yet in the United States. Celebrities, CEOs, and others from the highest strata have all mouthed off with a “how dare you” reaction to such media questions, only to look foolish in the end. That’s because in most stories, journalists are judge, jury, and executioner. To that end, journalists are quick to take umbrage to any critique of their line on inquiry — because they can! Complaining about any aspect of the interview is certain to ensure the reporter covers you in the absolute worst light.
Second: journalists are the ones asking the questions. Not you.
The next line of questioning centered on Republican remarks that Vice President Harris is a “DEI candidate.” Instead of answering the question, Donald Trump tried to turn the tables.
DONALD TRUMP: How do you define DEI? Go ahead. How do you define it?
INTERVIEWER: Diversity, equity, inclusion?
DONALD TRUMP: OK, yeah. Go ahead. Is that what your definition?
INTERVIEWER: That is literally the word.
DONALD TRUMP: Give me a definition, then. DEI. Give me a definition of that.
INTERVIEWER: Sir, I’m asking you a question, a very direct question.
DONALD TRUMP: No, no. You have to define it. Define it for me, if you will.
INTERVIEWER: I just defined it, sir. Do you believe that Vice President Kamala Harris is only on the ticket because she is a Black woman?
Granted, there are ways to clarify, and there are ways to antagonize. What I found particularly problematic was Trump’s use of the word “give,” which implied the reporter worked for him. When doing any media interview, understand that reporters believe they work for their audience, not for any interview subject. You would be best to approach any interview with a sense of humility — even if you absolutely don’t feel it.
Third: don’t complain.
Throughout the interview Donald Trump complained about the start time, the audio equipment, Vice President Kamala Harris’ participation, and of course, the questions asked.
If Trump’s intention was to signal to his base that he felt his interview was unprofessional — mission accomplished!
But from a psychological perspective complaining is a revealing tell. That’s because winners don’t complain; losers do. It’s a way of leveling the playing field. That sentiment is easy to detect in media coverage. Sentiment analysis uncovered spikes in Trump being associated with terms such as “losing,” “failure,” “chaos,” “defeat,” “meltdown,” and “desperation.”
While I can’t opine about whether this appearance will harm Trump’s campaign, I do think this moment demonstrates the importance of good PR etiquette when it comes to interacting with journalists for interviews. Approaching these interactions with the appropriate level of fear and trembling will ensure you can walk away with your head held high.
