Chicago, Illinois - Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump recently did a disastrous interview where he made demeaning statements about the race of his Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris.

On Wednesday, Trump sat down for a panel discussion during a convention for the National Association of Black Journalists.

As a number of members expressed their distaste for platforming him prior to the scheduled interview, Trump showed up extra combative.

After the first question, he complained that the interview was happening a half hour late and lambasted the first panel host for asking "hostile" and "nasty" questions.

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He was eventually asked if he believed, as many of his Republican allies have suggested, that Harris is a "DEI hire," implying she was given her job based on diversity policies instead of on her skill or merit.

"I've known her indirectly for a very long time... and she was always of Indian heritage, only promoting Indian heritage," Trump claimed.

"I didn't know she was Black until a number of years ago. She just happened to turn Black, and now she wants to be known as Black," he continued.

"Is she Indian, or is she Black?" he said, adding, "I respect either one."

Trump's comments come as he and the Republican Party have been struggling to come up with an effective line of attack against Harris. Instead of attacking her policies, Trump and his allies have instead chosen to call attention to her identity.

In a recent interview with Fox News, Trump suggested that if Harris wins the race, world leaders would "walk all over her" and treat her "like a play toy." He also noted that they would take issues with her looks, adding, "I don't want to say as to why, but a lot of people understand it."

In response, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre described Trump's remarks as "insulting," adding, "No one has any right to tell someone who they are, how they identify."